Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
by Raven Young
Summary: (Translation: The heart, it hurts) Love is crooked. But somewhere, along the twisted path of pain and desire, it leads you to something even better. Sakura's story didn't quite work out the first time... But who says the tall, dark mysterious Sasuke Uchiha can't be the happy ending she's been looking for? [Based on the movie]
1. Chapter 1

**Hello**

 **So, this cover picture is a meme that was circulating through some anime feeds a while back, and turns out, the movie behind it is Bollywood, but is actually real nice. International culture wrapped up in one tiny 2.5 hour film! This will probably be a three shot based on said movie, titled, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, which apparently translates to 'O heart, it's hard.'**

 **Kind of fluffy, but I like it.**

 **ALL CREDITS GO TO KISHIMOTO AND THE MAKERS OF THE MOVIE**

 **As always, tell me what you think!**

 **~Raven**

* * *

 _Love is twisted._

 _Finding peace in that twisted love, is both a gift and a curse_

 _But only few possess it_

* * *

He watched her from the corner of his eye.

Rather, she caught his eye as he turned the page of the book that rested in his hands.

Why wouldn't she catch his eye with such a unique hair colour- light, wavy pink, as though it had been plucked from the palette of spring cherry orchard, piled above her head in a now dishevelled updo, a formal shimada. Her formal kimono was deep navy, intricately patterned with silver thread, and unusual, that is, out of place in the airport lounge.

He watched with mild interest as she stumbled across the lounge, rucksack in one hand, almost knocking over several luggage as she moved to the small food counter situated near the table where he was seated.

She absent mindedly picked a bunch of cherries out of a fruit basket and swayed slightly as she looked around, her eyes sweeping the lounge, but not actually seeing it. Distant and vacant, her presence of mind elsewhere. Her eyes fixed on his table and he watched, slightly amused as she walked towards it, taking an absent minded bite out of her cherry.

Her lips, he noted, were a delicate shade of pink, a small, juicy red glisten of cherry juice now coating them, a single drop trailing down her lower lip before a small, pink tongue darted out and caught it.

As she approached his table, he looked back to his book, listening to the sound of her footsteps as she stopped behind him. Her voice was empty, soothing but dejected, as she spoke. "Is this seat free?"

Not answering directly, he nodded slowly.

"The lounge is far from full. Why not sit elsewhere?" he asked, after watching her bite into a few more cherries, sitting down in the empty seat across from him.

He felt her gaze shift to look at him as she spoke. "But I don't want to be alone." she said, plucking off a cherry from her bunch and holding it out to him. "Cherry?"

Closing the book and setting it down on the table, he held out his palm, taking the cherry from her outstretched fingers.

"I just watched my best friend get married to the woman he loves." she said after a pause, shrugging slightly as she went on to add, "He still doesn't know that he's the man I love." A small, almost forced laugh escaped her.

"The question is," he started, drawing her attention away from the memory, "Would it have made a difference?"

She shrugged, shaking her head. "I left halfway."

"I see."

She looked away from him, absent mindedly looking at the table between them, before her hand reached out to grab the small, red book that was his passport. She opened onto its middle page, looking between the page, and the man in front of her.

"Sasuke Uchiha..." she read out, eyes glinting, "Interesting. What brings a gentleman like you all the way out to a lonely lounge in Tokyo Airport?" she asked, before folding the passport and sliding it over the table, back to him.

"Business." was his curt reply.

She reached into the rucksack next to her, pulling out an identical red book with a small smile. "I was born in Oxford. Two sides of the same coin, ne?"

He smirked, looking into her eyes for the first time, startled by her expressive, emerald irises. They were large, doe shaped. Captivating.

"I'm en route to Berlin. Via Abu Dhabi. And you?"

"Geneva." he said, amused by her need for conversation. He added, "Via Abu Dhabi."

"What did I say? Two sides of the same coin." She said, triumphantly.

The conversation lulled as she frowned, the humour in her eyes fading again. He found himself being pulled into her game. "Tell me more. What do you do?"

She looked back up at him, perking up slightly. "MBA. Business Management. But that's not what I'll really do. I call myself a musician."

"Self proclaimed?"

She smiled knowingly. "Self proclaimed and yet to start. What about you?"

"I write. Poetry." he said.

"Self proclaimed?" she asked, lips curling into a mischevious smile.

"And globally acclaimed." he added.

"Well, it's nice to meet you Mr Uchiha." she held out a hand in greeting.

"Please, call me Sasuke. And you are...?" he said, shaking her hand.

"Sakura" she supplied.

She was shielding her pain with mundane words. And yet, her eyes spoke volumes for what her voice couldn't share. Something inside her was slowly shattering into a thousand broken shards.

But, for the first time in many years, he was intrigued. He felt himself wanting to push the boundaries of how far she would bend, and allow herself to be moulded, until she snapped.

"We'll chat on the plane, Sasuke. I'm sure I could share a few more...interesting stories."

Putting the book away, he leaned forward, asking the question that had been playing on his mind since she started talking. "Do tell, what stories? What's actually wrong? Small talk is for the shallow. The pain in your eyes won't wash away with words."

She stared at him, eyes widening in surprise, at a loss for words, rooted on spot. She hadn't even noticed as a single tear left a silver trail down the side of her cheek. A whirlwind of emotions and thoughts whirled behind her eyes- each of them relatable, understandable, yet leaving him unaware of the memories behind them.

He reached out, catching her tear on the tip of his index finger. "These tears are beautiful. Why cage them? Don't hold them back. Liberate them."

As his hand drew away, her hand shot out and grasped it by the wrist. Both slender hands holding onto his, she leaned on her elbows, holding his hand to her forehead, as she wept.

 _"_ Sometimes you meet someone who knows everything about you before you even open your mouth. That kind of friendship doesn't take any effort- it just comes naturally."

* * *

 _She had downed her fourth bottle of beer._

 _He caught her eye while he danced vivaciously among the masses of people, arms flailing and ass shaking. She couldn't help but laugh at his antics._

 _Seemingly, she caught his eye too, him beckoning her over for a dance._

 _Before they knew it they were in a room. Alone. Kissing wildly in a tangle of limbs._

 _But just as quickly as the fire lit up, it dissapated as their kisses dissolved into a mess of laughter and giggles; they poked fun at each other's shortcomings- no doubt an effect of the alcohol- and disentangled themselves._

 _The rest of the night was an intoxicating mix of alcohol, bar hopping, dancing and talking; they spilled their hearts to each other._

 _And by morning, she was left with a new brother and a best friend._

* * *

"At first we were just _really_ good friends. We were the same- atleast, we were the same where it counts. Two kindred souls"

* * *

 _They were both in different relationships._

 _She a victim of arranged agreements._

 _He a victim of gold diggers; praying on his ambivalence._

 _But as circumstance had it, both relationships dissolved after a second double date. [If finding his girlfriend hooking up with her boyfriend didn't dissolve their relationships, nothing would]_

 _And all they had left was each other- and a week of partying in Cyprus._

* * *

"The things we did were crazy- insane. But they were delusional dreams we both had."

* * *

 _Sky diving with minimal protection, bunjee jumping, a tea ceremony with bears and deer in the hills- you name it, they did it._

 _It might not have been the burning passion of a relationship, but it was better. It was peace._

 _And for a week in Cyprus, they enjoyed it._

* * *

"I'll admit- I found him attractive. It sort of hurt my ego to know he didn't think the same. But I was flattered too- he valued our friendship more than anything else.

And then _she_ came."

* * *

 _Midnight dark hair, creamy skin and long, sexy legs that could go on forever if they weren't stopped by the black stilettos beneath them.  
_

 _Seeing **her** was enough to send him into a frenzy. He started packing his bags, all set to leave in that instant. _

_It was clear he hated her. But it was also clear he still loved her. And he didn't want to._

 _So they arranged a way out. They would be out of Cyprus within the hour._

 _Back to just the two of them. And their peace._

* * *

"I guess you don't realise how much someone means to you until they're slipping away. It was like a harsh stab from reality- the woman he loved came and took away the man I loved. And I didn't realise I loved him until she took him away."

* * *

 _They were almost gone- almost away from the hotel, the city, the bar where he saw **her**.  
_

 _But almost only went so far._

 ** _She_** _asked him to stay, and he listened. He bid away friendship in the name of love._

 _And she could do nothing to stop him._

* * *

"I didn't hear from them in months. The next time Naruto called me, he was in Tokyo. His family had disowned him, and he was engaged to _her_. The dancing sensation from the far east, Hinata Hyuga."

* * *

 _Naruto asked her to attend the ceremony. If none of his family wanted to be there, at least he wanted his best friend with him._

 _It would be a week of torture for her, but she went nonetheless._

 _She watched as the wedding drew closer, bottling up the storm of raging emotions inside her as she watched the engaged couple so absorbed in each other._

 _But on the eve of the wedding, something changed._

 _She wanted him to be happy, but she wanted him to know how unhappy he was making her. Call it selfish, she couldn't help it._

 _And so she sang. One song, a small verse. But it conveyed all she couldn't say in words. About everything she wanted but couldn't have from him._

 _When he confronted her about it, she let nothing slip. Smiled warmly, congratulated him like his best friend would._

 _And afterwards, she left._

* * *

"I couldn't take it any more. If I stayed there any longer, either he'd have found out, or I'd have told him. So I left."

* * *

 _There was nothing she could do about it. She had fallen in love with someone who would never love her back- she'd known that from the start._

 _And he had fallen in love with someone who broke his heart once. Someone who he had sworn never to let back in again._

 _But love was blind. And it was deadly._

 _She couldn't even bring herself to hate the other woman. She was too nice- too sweet, and already punished herself to no end for breaking his heart once._

 _Meanwhile as for Sakura- with every step she took away from that wedding hall, and that mansion, her heart slowly broke away; numbing with every minute._

 _But that didn't erase the pain._

* * *

"I guess this is my stop."

"And this mine."

Sasuke watched as the woman stood, a few feet away from her, facing him with her full attention. She really did look _much_ better without the additional layers of makeup and formalities which the wedding had enshrouded her with. If she had looked stunning before, he was spellbound now.

She had changed into casual clothes- jeans, a loose shirt and a hoodie. Her hair lay in a loose, messy, one sided braid. And yet, she was as enticing as the cherry blossoms that named her.

"It was really, _really_ amazing meeting you, Sasuke. I can'... I can't thank you enough, for everything. For listening to me while I rambled and nagged and whined- I think I even fell asleep while talking as well..."

"Oh, don't worry. Words didn't leave you even in your sleep." he said, smirking.

"What?! Crap! What did I say?!" she said, looking scandalised.

A small laugh escaped him, as his smirk held it's place. "Hn, relax. You're secrets are safe with me."

She giggled softly, smiling. A pleasant change from the stricken expression she had worn the previous night and throughout their flight. She looked far more refreshed now. And less burdened by her story. She certainly was interesting. Even after all this time, he found himself still not boring of her presence.

"Listen," he said, starting on a serious note, a slightly worried expression creeping over her features. "Some wounds are in flesh, some in the heart. Each has their own type of bandage. Sometimes even words can't alleviate your pain." he smiled, shrugging his shoulders resignedly as he said, "But words are all I have- So take this." he handed her the book he had been reading before. _His_ book. A collection of his works.

She gingerly took the book out of his hands, looking at the sleek, bubbled title.

"Maybe it can help a bit. And if that doesn't work..." he continued, before taking a step closer and leaning down so his mouth brushed against her ear lobe. His breath tickled her neck as he spoke "...Maybe the number inside will." he added, before stepping away.

By the time she realised what he meant, he was long gone, leaving her alone in the bustling hallway of her departure gate.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/n: I initially planned to add some more to this and publishing on Saturday, but I couldn't resist putting it out and seeing what you think. Looks like it'll turn out to be a five chapter thing as opposed to the three chapters I'd thought of to begin with. Also the rating gets bumped up to M but there's nothing graphic about it per se.  
**

 **To the third guest reviewer who mentioned how I'd reversed the genders while writing; yes, you've got it spot on in terms of character allotments. But I won't be sticking strictly to the movie plot: after all, it's a Sasusaku, is it not? Hope you like this.**

 **Don't forget to drop a review.**

 **Enjoy**

 **~Raven**

* * *

 _They say follow your heart._

 _But if your heart has been shattered, and only fragments remain, what then?_

 _You listen to what your mind tells you._

And when memories of times spent with Naruto overwhelmed her, Sakura's thoughts strayed to the elusive, attractive Sasuke Uchiha and their flight together.

She found herself losing herself in the collection of words that comprised that book he had given her. And they were beautiful words- enthralling. She found herself unconsciously putting them into a melody- after all, music was her passion.

 _When in love, but are not loved_

 _When scared to know, but unaware_

 _When your memory follows me as I walk_

 _But when I turn to look, you are not there_

 _The pain may fade with time_

 _But it won't heal this broken heart of mine_

On a whim, she found herself in Geneva three months later. And on that whim, she found herself dialling the number, written in spidery black ink on the inner cover of the hardback book which had been her solace for the past three months.

It answered on the third ring, and the low husky rumble of Sasuke Uchiha's voice answered her, "Hello?"

"Turns out words aren't exactly my thing. The number, on the other hand, definitely helped." She said, leaning against the windowsill of her temporary residence as she spoke.

She could almost imagine the amused smirk that would be creeping onto his features as he recognised her voice.

"You sure kept me waiting long enough." He said, though there was no irritation behind his words.

"What's life without a little anticipation?" She quipped, turning around to look out of the window and watch the snowflakes float down like feathers onto the street below. "Last time we met, you got to know me so well.. but I still know nothing about you. Want to change that? We should meet up." She added.

She heard him scoffing, inwardly wondering if he ever actually smiled. "Meet up? With you in Berlin? And I Geneva?"

"Anything's possible if you're crazy enough." She said, shrugging, suppressing a giggle.

"So I take it my book drove you to insanity?" he said, clearly bemused.

"You could say that." She said, finding herself slipping into a coy banter with him.

"Do I take that as a compliment? Or an insult?" he teased.

"Both."

She must have been vexing him to no end; he might have been in half a mind to hang up on her- which she definitely didn't want, so she decided to stop messing with him- even if it was so enjoyable.

Before he could respond, she said, "Actually, I'm not in Berlin. Not anymore."

"Oh? Couldn't stay away from me, could you?" she could hear him smirking from where she stood.

"You're just _that_ irresistible, aren't you?" she said, laughing slightly.

"We should meet up." He said, agreeing with her former statement.

"Are you free tonight?"

"For you? Maybe. Or I could be busy spending the night with my books and a drink." He mused.

She laughed. "What a busy schedule for a budding poet. I'll take that as a 'yes, I'm free'. Where to?"

A few moments silence followed, in which she found herself fiddling with the hem of her shirt, enjoying the thought of spending her evening with a welcome, attractive hunk of hotness.

"I'll text you an address." He said, after a small pause.

"Your address?" she asked mockingly.

"Dream on." He chuckled, a deep, smooth sound that would have made a lesser woman's insides melt. Of course, she was no lesser woman. "You don't take a woman you're courting home after the first date."

"Whoever said it was a date?" she asked coyly.

"I'll see you tonight" he said, not rising to the bait.

Saying bye, she hung up, taking a deep breath as she pressed her forehead against the cool, glass window. As she exhaled, the glass around her mouth fogged up, blocking her view of the snowflakes.

Without further thought, she left to pick an outfit for the evening.

* * *

Flashing dark lights in the soft glow of their red interior, ethnic music pulsing from the speakers, shots lined up at the bar as people pushed against each other, limb upon limb, bodies pressed, dancing together in the rapid pace of the music.

When Sasuke sent her an address, she hadn't expected him to call her to the steamy, high class bar presented before her. Not that she minded.

She wove through groups of people, smirking slightly as she felt several hungry eyes linger on her in appreciation as her sleek black dress, fishnet stockings, and leather jacket hugged her figure. But her eyes lingered on only one man.

If possible, Sasuke Uchiha looked even more attractive then than he had three months ago when they first met. That being said, when they first met, she was wallowing in self pity, hadn't been thinking properly, and was more than a little drunk.

Dressed in a dark navy shirt and black jeans, covered by a black jacket, the sharp contrast between that and his pale skin was definitely easy on the eyes. As she approached him, he looked at her with those deep, obsidian pools he called eyes- orbs which seemed to read her every thought, or predict her every action, before she herself could. His smouldering gaze sent shivers down her spine as she moved forward to say something to him over all of the noise.

He pulled away from her before she could speak, a soft, cold finger pressing over her lips as he offered her a drink.

She smirked, shaking her head knowingly as she accepted the drink, looking at him inquisitively.

He smirked arrogantly and his eyes trailed down from her face, slowly lingering on her neck, and then her chest, before dropping to her legs, and finally looking back to her face in approval. She rolled her eyes, though she hadn't been able to take her eyes off him the entire time either. He was very...alluring. The music, and the dark lights, and the atmosphere as a whole enticed her as her eyes fixated on his attractive lips.

Pointing a finger at the dance floor, she tilted her head in that direction, questioningly, asking him to dance- though he looked very reluctant. She would have none of that, as she took a step closer to him, before turning, walking towards the crowds of people already dancing.

She felt the same, cool fingers reach out to clasp her wrist, her heart lurching in anticipation as she looked back at him, smiling seductively before clasping his hand and pulling him along.

Weaving through other couples dancing, she slowly led him to a less crowded spot, knowing full well how his eyes were fixed on her the whole time. Releasing his hand, she slowly started swaying to the music, before twirling to face him as she danced, closing her eyes and letting the music take over her actions.

At first reluctant he stood still, watching as she moved her face closer to his, their noses inches apart. With a teasing smile, he pushed her away again, moving her so her back pressed flush against his chest, his smooth fingers leaving hot fiery trails over her arms, and his other hand holding her waist. She leaned her head back onto his collarbone, appreciating how it fit snugly on his shoulder, inhaling his seductive, earthy scent.

She felt him lift her arm up, around his neck, as she laced her fingers in his silky black hair. Warm, soft lips kissed their way up her forearm, her skin tingling like a thousand jolts of electricity coursing through them. Her hand guided his head away from her arm, leading it towards her upturned head, as he lowered her lips onto his, a flood of pleasure and addictive bliss, their tongues intertwining in a hungry, passionate fusion of desire and need.

* * *

The door slammed shut behind her as she felt herself being pushed against a wall, warm, soft lips ravishing her own as she fisted her fingers in his hair.

When he pulled away for air, his eyes asked her the silent question of if she was willing to go through with what was about to transcend.

He was still giving her a chance to opt out- on the whim that her actions were based on an alcohol induced intoxication. She found it incredibly endearing. But in all honesty, she lost the chance to back out from the moment he picked up her call. Not that she wanted to in the least.

Smirking seductively, she took the lead, walking towards his bed, his hand at first reaching out to stop her, before clasping her fingers and letting her lead him along.

Seeing her standing, waiting for him to make a move as she stood at the foot of his bed, she watched his eyes cloud over in lust. He advanced slowly, throwing his jacket aside before he walked up to her, catching her by the lips again before moving to leave a trail of hot, passionate kisses down her neck, sucking harshly at the juncture of her neck and collar bone, leaving what she knew would later become a light bruise.

As her eyes rolled back in pleasure, and a moan escaped her at the feel of his mouth, he rolled the jacket off her shoulders, tossing it aside as he continued his ministrations along her collarbone, one hand slowly pushing aside the strap of her off-shoulder black dress. His other hand left delectable goose bumps in its wake as it travelled from her hip, to her waist, and up her back, tantalisingly bringing down the zipper of her dress as he continued to leave love-bites along the line of her clavicle.

In one swift movement, her dress fell to the floor in a silky pile leaving her standing in lacy black underwear and fishnet stockings. The sudden exposure to the cold draught chilled her, but was soon replaced by the burning heat of her arousal, and the trail of fire his lips left as they edged down from her clavicle to the upper side of the dip of her cleavage.

Her own hands, which until then were gripping onto his hair, and his arm, now moved to his chest, tracing light patterns as they reached the top of his shirt, and fumbled with the buttons as she slowly took it off, before stopping to admire his chiselled torso.

His hand slowly unclasped her bra, discarding it as he moved against her, his hard, toned body responding to the softness of hers. She could feel his desire as his eyes roved her body, pushing her onto the black velvet sheets of the bed behind her. His mouth once again sought hers, parting her lips, slanting across them, devouring them with his fiery touch as though he could not get enough of their juicy sweetness. She lost whatever piece of reality she was left with, as their breaths synchronised into one steady, fast paced rhythm.

She lost all sense of her surroundings as she gave into her own desire, finding herself swept away in his violently passionate storm. One hand wrapped around her waist, his other hand rose to cup the creamy fullness of her breast, fondling it roughly, his hands leaving a blaze of want in their wake, only to be followed by his mouth which soon smothered the supple skin of her chest.

Her fingers rose to trace lines down the soft, yet firm muscles of his back, before latching to the inky, silken hair that reflected the soft stream of moonlight which streamed into the room through a gap in the curtains. She gasped, moaning steadily as his ravenous kisses ravished her skin- like a wolf which hadn't eaten in days. Her own wavy locks spread out in a halo on the sheets surrounding her head, as her emerald eyes darkened with lust.

She tugged at his hair, once again bringing his head up to meet hers as she kissed him, her mouth travelling from his mouth, to his neck, and to the defined, chiselled edges that marked his upper torso. His fingers toyed with the edge of her remaining undergarment, and her hands travelled to the upper hem of his jeans as they shed each other of all remaining clothing, and gave in to the passionate fury of desire for the remainder of the night.

* * *

Sasuke fell asleep satiated and content. He woke up with an empty bed.

At first, he had been disgruntled by the absence of the sexy little minx who had graced his bed last night. But, finding her shoes neatly tucked next to his bed, close to where they had been discarded the previous night, as he groggily sat up, reassured him that she hadn't left and was probably more of an early riser than he.

He also noticed their clothes from the previous day, folded in a neat pile, sitting on top of the chest of drawers next to his wardrobe. So she liked things tidy. He smirked.

When he'd eventually finished washing off the smoky scent which hung to him after his time at the club the previous night, he strolled into the open lounge of his apartment, his eyes wandering to the countertop of the attached kitchenette, upon which leaned the woman he had bedded the previous night. She wore an old shirt of his, and her elbows rested on the black granite surface of the countertop before her, a mug of what seemed to be coffee in her hands.

Seeing him walk in, she smiled lightly, softly saying, "Good morning," as he walked closer.

He nodded, moving to the coffee machine which sat next to the sink, inwardly noting how much he liked the sight of her in his clothes.

"I used your stuff to make breakfast- judging by the amount of tomatoes in your fridge I thought you'd like a Spanish omelette. I still don't know your breakfast preferences though." She said, turning to face him.

He sauntered over to where she stood, leaning with his back pressed to the countertop next to her. "Spanish omelette...sounds wonderful." He said with a smirk, "Considering I don't do much cooking myself." He added. She didn't know his preferences- but she was doing an awfully good job of guessing her way around.

"Not much cooking... Does the great Sasuke Uchiha not know how to cook? Or do you just not have anyone to cook for?" she teased.

"Actually, I can. Well, a little. But it's more of a necessity than anything else now." He replied.

"Then you don't have any cookbooks stashed away waiting for you to sweep a woman off her feet with your culinary skill?"

"I've got my looks to do that." He quipped, smirking seductively. "Besides...I think my ex wife took them with her when she left."

"Ex wife?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as she sipped from her mug.

"Divorced." he added, setting his own mug on the counter as he moved to the coffee table that sat on the other side of the counter, in front of a sofa. Picking up one of his books from it, he leaned against the back of the sofa, saying, "Every poet ought to have atleast one marriage. If all goes well, he has a good wife. If not..." he shrugged, holding up the book, "He has good poetry."

"How many do you suppose Shakespeare had then?" she said with a laugh.

"He wasn't nearly popular enough with women." he retorted.

"And you are?" She put both of their mugs in the sink, and he watched as she walked over to where he now stood.

"Hn." Some might say he exuded arrogance. He liked to call it self confidence.

"Well look who's confident. I suppose _someone's_ much sought after." she said coming to a stop when she stood directly in front of him.

Tossing the book onto the sofa behind him, he stood up, no longer leaning on the sofa, instead towering over her as he moved closer to her. "I don't want to be just desired. I want to be revered." His voice sunk to what he knew would be a low, husky whisper.

She looked somewhat hesitant, taking a step back as she said, "I'm not ready for a serious relationship yet. Nor do I have the time."

He closed the distance between them, whispering into her ear as he spoke. "There's not just one sort of relationship."

Her hands moved to his chest, sliding up and around his neck as she stood on her toes, their noses less than a hair's breadth apart. "So I drown my sorrows in you while you have the pleasure of my company?" she whispered.

His response was in the form of hands slipping around her waist, pulling her closer still as his lips caught hers.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hope you enjoy it.  
Damn Sasuke is _smooth_ , crazy smooth. Don't forget to drop a review.  
Standard disclaimers apply, the poem stanzas are self composed and coupled with the later chapters will make up a complete poem, if anyone's interested.  
Let me know what you think.  
~Raven**

* * *

 _Touch me without knowing me_  
 _Love me when I cannot see;_  
 _It's not a tango made for two_  
 _It's a waltz in midnight blue._

* * *

"I still know almost nothing about you...How does a poet living in Geneva spend his time, I wonder?"

She was draped over the velvety smooth expanse of his dark sofa, her head resting on his lap as her vibrant, doe-shaped emerald eyes looked up at his own obsidian pools. His fingers laced in her silky pink locks, running through them as he sat, leaning back languidly and looking down at her with a satiated smirk on his face as he noted how gracefully cat like she looked- lithe and poised yet leisurely stretching her arms upwards, her fingers tracing patterns on his jawline.

"That's nothing compared to the mystery of what you're doing here. What happened to Berlin? When do you return?" he asked, his voice a low whisper, unwilling to interrupt the peaceful silence they had sunk into.

It was quite an intimate position they were in- of emotional intimacy more than anything. An emotional intimacy they were yet to achieve in words, but were quickly slipping into nonetheless. He found he quite liked the way her hair fanned out on his legs, and how she looked on _his_ sofa, in _his_ room, _his_ apartment, still clad in only _his_ shirt. Yes, he definitely found himself liking that image more and more.

"I was in Berlin for an internship," she started, sighing as she tilted her head upwards, going on to say, "Management never interested me. I left as soon as I decided it's not what I want. Packed my bags and flew here."

"What for?" he asked, though he already knew the answer, his smirk widening ever so slightly as her thumb moved from his jaw to the corner of his mouth.

"You." she said, smirking knowingly, tracing the outline of his sculpted lips.

"A city like Geneva is full of things to do. If I'm not with business associates or searching for new inspiration in my poetry, I'm meeting up with old family friends, hosting events, you get the idea..." he said in response to her question.

"And your family?"

"Dead. Mostly. All that's left is their muiltimillion dollar empire- and two sons." he said nonchalantly. He may talk lightly of his family's demise, but that didn't make the pain of their loss any easier to bear. All he really did was mask it.

The image of his parent's pale, dead faces in the burial caskets was still as fresh in his mind as it was the day he buried them.

Something about the way the minx in his lap was looking at him from the pillow she'd made of his knees told him he hadn't done that good a job of masking it this time. Either that, or she was far too perceptive for her own good.

She didn't apologize to him, voice laced with false sympathy as so many others before her had. He was thankful for that. He'd had enough of people's _pity_ to last him a lifetime.

Her eyes, round and prominent, alluringly expressive, spoke in volumes far greater than words could have. A gentle, empathy towards his pain, without being overly sympathetic in response to his words, or being indifferent to his pain. Her warm fingers traced their way from his mouth to his eye, brushing over the upper lid. Her fingers smooth and delicate, he found himself leaning into her touch.

"How old were you?" she asked softly, after a lingering pause.

"Five." he replied, his voice slightly raspy as one hand moved from her hair to gently cradle the creamy expanse of her neck, his thumb rubbing slow, deliberate circles into her skin. She closed her eyes and leaned further into him.

"My mother died by the time I started high school. She was the only one who ever really understood me. After that...my father remarried and threw me further into his business. Music flew out the window by the time I graduated." she said. There may have been more to the story, but he didn't ask then.

They sat in comfortable silence, both lost in their thoughts. Most people might have been unsettled by the silence, but he preferred it. Sometimes silence spoke more than words ever could. It seemed she was of the same opinion.

Eventually, he asked, "Where are you staying now, then? If you only just landed in Geneva?"

"A hotel. For now." she replied. "I didn't know how long I'd end up staying here for. I guess I'll look for a place now..."

His hand strayed from her neck till it rested lightly on her abdomen. He felt her muscles go taut at his gentle touch, as she tried to look down at his hand. His other hand, still laced in her hair, stopped her from looking down as it tilted her to face him. "Stay here." he said, leaning forward, his eyes boring into hers. "With me. Here."

Leaning on one hand, she propped herself up to bring her face to his, a smile on her face. "You sure you know what you're getting yourself into? You're absolutely okay with it?" she asked teasingly, her hand tilting his head till their lips were a hair's breadth apart.

His stomach coiled as he looked at her, lust clouding his eyes as he smirked, his breath hot against her lips as he said, "Definitely.", pressing his lips to hers, almost hungrily devouring the cavern of her mouth.

* * *

 _You try stepping closer, while I slip away,_  
 _But I learn more about you with each passing day._  
 _The more I know of you, the less him;_  
 _When with you, his memory wanes thin._

* * *

"A private dock? How loaded _are_ you?!" she said as she pranced onto the snow laden wooden boards of the narrow, deserted pier.

In the snow, with a figure hugging dark woolen jacket, a creamy white scarf and knee high leather boots, her cheeks tinted pink from the cold as she looked back at him.

"The Uchiha name does have it's perks." he smirked, walking up to her as he took her by the elbow and led her to the ledge of the pier.

She stopped mid reply as she turned to look at the valley that enfolded beyond the edge of the pier, her apple green eyes round in astonishment.

Before them stretched and endless sheet of crystal blue nested in the sweeping valley between the tall spires of the mountains that surrounded it. Lake Lucern was more than just another tourist spot, in all aspects. On a misty winter morning, with snow dusting the shore and the mountains that decended into the river, with a thick, silvery fog veiling further than a five meter radius around them, the lake was almost _magical_.

There was not another person in sight for miles, and even the trains that climbed the mountains were out of earshot. In that moment, they truly could have been the only two people in the world.

And the exotic woman standing next to him, with pale pink hair and vibrant green eyes, petite and elusive, was the fitting image of that mystical atmosphere. In that moment, for all he knew, she could have been a siren. Birthed by the lake, bewitching as the mountains, dangerous enough to drown him in the waters before them, but more beautiful than all of it combined- in that moment, she could have been ethereal. A creation of his imagination, should he ever be able to craft a scene so exquisite.

The lake was a scene he had seen all too many times- every time, it granted him new inspiration. But she? He saw her here for the first time. And perhaps, even if the sight of her was as common as the sun in the sky, he would never get tired of looking at it. For the first time, he struggled to find words that defined the scene before him. Rather, the words he found were nowhere near gratifying enough to describe her. And still, his fingers itched for pen and paper beneath his hands that he may write.

She still looked at the nearly frozen lake in awe. She had never seen anything like it; he'd never seen anything like her.

Her eyes wide, her expression bewildered, her limbs frozen in her wonder.

Finally finding his voice, his eyes still fixated on her, Sasuke spoke.

"Like what you see?" A smirk followed.

"It's so...I'd never thought...I'm-" she seemed at a sudden loss for words, something he didn't blame her for. The lake was breathtaking and intimidating all at the same time.

"Spellbound?" he asked, finishing her last phrase.

"Spellbound. How often do you come here?" she asked, almost dumbfounded.

"Whenever I feel the need to rekindle this poet's dying imagination." he replied, a hand gently grasping her elbow and pulling her closer to him, as he turned her around.

"Where are we going?" her small, light paces quickened to match his longer strides.

"On a boat trip"

The weather not yet cold enough to freeze the lake, his private day cruiser sat snugly in the waters in the nook of the pier and shoreline. Dark wooden planks covered the motor and hull of the boat, while the retractable screen over the main deck had opened to reveal the comfortable leather cushioned seats that lined the walls of the deck. The deck itself was large enough for two people- not small enough to be cramped, not large enough to be empty, and was furnished amply complete with a mini freezer and an auto navigation system.

A sideways glance at Sakura showed that she seemed impressed, not to mentioned excited, at the sight. "Whoa...is that one of Frauchner's? Those things are near extinct I thought!"

He smirked, somewhat impressed by her ability to identify the boat in question, finding it all the more attractive. "As I said, the Uchiha name has it's perks."

Noting the condescending tone to his voice, she frowned, pouting playfully as she said, "Frauchner's nothing compared to the Cruisers Cantius. Don't have one of those lying around, do you?"

"In the penthouse. Not here." he said, going on to add, "Not exaggerating" when he saw her open her mouth to retort.

"Show off... you give us rich people a bad name." she said, stepping onto the deck of the boat in front of them, cozily sitting down on the dark leather seats and looking up at he, who was still standing on the snow laden pier.

"As if you're any better." he quipped, smirking as he watched her roll her eyes in denial. Following her, he joined her on the deck and set a course for their trip, before sitting next to her, slipping an arm around her waist.

"It's so nice here. I'd say I'm jealous of you coming here so often but it's so peaceful here I can't even blame you." she sighed, leaning her head against his collarbone.

"It's even nicer when the lake's frozen. You can take trains up the mountains and see the entire lake from there- like one continuous diamond mirror. And there's walks you can take around the lake too- I take inspiration from it every time."

"Sure it's safe trusting me with all your secrets?" she said, a smile curling her lips.

"Well if you told anyone, I guess I'd just have to kill you." he replied, smirking again. That was something he found himself doing more and more when around her- smirking, or sometimes even genuinely smiling. Maybe he was getting too soft.

Laughing at his words, she tilted her head until her lips brushed seductively against his ear as she whispered. "If you killed me..." he could feel the ghost of her tongue running along his earlobe, sending shivers down his spine in arousal. She went on to say, "Who would grace your bed by night? Surely I'm not that replaceable..."

She drew away, still laughing as she spotted the red flush that had crept onto his neck at her ministrations. She resumed her position, peacefully leaning against his shoulder, his arm still wrapped around her slender waist.

"I guess winter's your favourite season, huh?" she asked, breaking the calm silence that had settled between them.

"Aa"

"Mine's spring. I mean... I love the snow, but there's something much more gratifying about seeing the flowers slowly come into bloom after the winter months." she said softly, her voice slowly carrying to his ears as their boat moved away from the shore, slowly moving through the veil of mist that hung in the air.

It was so typical of her, whose hair was the colour of spring blossoms, who's eyes were as green as newborn leaves, who's personality as vibrant as the spring breeze, to choose spring above all other seasons. And at the same time, he couldn't imagine her liking anything else.

"What about colours? What's your favourite?" she asked.

"Navy. And let me guess, yours is pink?" he retorted.

"Not a chance." she said, laughing mockingly, before going on to correct him. "I've always loved green. Mint, jade, shamrock, emerald- all sorts of green, really."

" How long have you wanted to be a singer for?" he asked. He normally avoided conversation by all means possible, but conversation with her was far more intriguing than others before her.

His question triggered a change in her light mood; perhaps it hadn't been the best thing to ask. Her smile slipping a bit, he noticed the change in mood and said, "You don't have to answer that if-"

"No, it's okay. Why not?" she said, a faint smile on her lips. It didn't reach her eyes."My mother graduated from Julliard- it was always my dream to do the same. I've never imagined myself doing anything but music in the future." She smiled bitterly, "Seems like my father had other plans. This is the longest I've ever done anything against what he wants. Probably thinks I'm just being rebellious and will show up right on his doorstep in another few weeks. I won't, though. This is the realest thing I've done in a long time. I don't want anything to do with that house anymore."

His hand found its way from her waist to clasp her fingers, finding that the contact was far more reassuring than words he could have used at that moment.

He heard her laugh, her eyes darkening with a lingering sadness as she added, "Naruto always told me to drop the MBA and start making music anyway..."

His legs moved of their own accord in the next instance as he stood up, pulling her to her feet along with him, tugging her closer until his lips were less than inches away from her ear. "You're with me right now. _Me_. Not _him_. Forget about him. So stop talking about him like I'm a fucking _replacement._ "

His breath tickling her ear, he watched her shiver with pleasure in his grip as he moved to leave a trail of kisses down the column of her neck. He felt her breath quicken as slender, warm fingers threaded through his hair, gently yanking at it, moving his head away from her neck till her lips met his in a passionate collision. Maybe it wasn't the right time, place or weather for them to start at that moment, but he couldn't care less- once his lips met hers all other thoughts flew out of the window as he attacked her lips with a fervour.

Her scarf slipped away, her jacket soon following to leave her the open necked, off the shoulder beige sweater and dark jeans, giving him far better access to her shoulders as he left kisses along her creamy pale skin, biting lightly at the juncture of her neck and shoulder, eliciting a seductive moan from her, as their lips met once again.

Pulling away to catch his breath, he took a proper look at her, eyes hooded, panting heavily, looking at him with a mixture of desire, surprise and confusion. But the look in her eyes told him that she trusted him. Which made him question his actions all over again.

He had started in a mix of anger and possessiveness, something which he had never expected himself to act so strongly on. He knew, right when he first met her, that she had been in love with somebody else. That someone else had stolen from her that which he now found himself longing for more and more as he got to know her, that someone had taken her heart and never given anything in return. But he didn't count on the dangerous mix of possessiveness and jealousy which burned him when he heard her take another man's name on her lips with such affection. Was he digging his own grave, deceiving himself into indulging feelings which would only lead to self destruction?

Noticing the flush that had rose to her cheeks given the cold weather, he picked up her scarf and handed it to her, whereupon she accepted it somewhat reluctantly, folding it in her hands as she spoke, her voice low and significantly calmer than she had looked a few moments ago. "It doesn't feel that cold anymore anyway."

An awkward silence ensued, in which Sasuke turned around to survey their surroundings, noting that they were about to leave the docks. He was seething; angrily, irrationally, unreasonably, seething. The tension that hung between them was as thick as the fog that surrounded them.

Petite, slender fingers circled his upper bicep as he felt her lean into his side, her head resting on the back of his shoulder as her long, pink hair came into sight out of the corner of his eye.

She spoke so quietly that he would have missed it had every nerve in his being not been trained on her.

" _You're_ the one I'm with now...not him. I don't want you to think I'm...using you, in any way. I'm sorry."

Her fingers moved from around his arm to wrap around him, her chest pressing against his back as she hugged him. He melted at her touch, turning her to lean against his chest as he returned her embrace.

He would have been content to stand there with her slender form in his arms till nightfall, but as he saw the scene that was about to unfold before him, he knew it would be one she couldn't miss.

"Sakura,"

The sound of her name on his lips was enough to lift her head as her eyes met his.

He turned her around so that her back pressed flush against his chest, and she had a clear view of the valley before them.

The pale sun , far off in the distance, shrouded by a soft mist, hung between the looming peaks of two mountains. Mountains which erupted from the valley like enchanted spires, along with the many more towering peaks which surrounded and enclosed the valley from all sides, and were cloaked in a silvery fog, not so thick as to conceal the mountains from view, but heavy enough to cloak them in a shimmering haze. In the convergence of these giants, a sheet of silvery blue, smooth as a crystal sheet which stretched as far as the eye could see, and many miles further, which could have been glass had it not been for the ripples which spread from their boat as they moved through the water.

In the early hours of the morning, in the less frequented waters of Lake Lucerne, the two of them alone save for the mystical fog and ominous mountains that surrounded them, they really could have been in an entirely different world.

Taking a look at Sakura, he was rewarded with a bewildered expression on her face as she drank it all in, almost committing every minute detail to memory.

They stood there, his arms wrapped around her as they both watched the sun rise over the lake.

After what could have been centuries, she sighed, the sound almost musical, as she went on to ask, "A poet living in Geneva, letting words shape his dreams by Lake Lucerne. Your poetry is beautiful, Sasuke."

He smiled- not his trademark smirk so characteristic of the members of his family- but a kinder, warmer smile which he truthfully couldn't recall wearing ever before.

"It's so beautiful I find myself fixing a tune to it every time I read it." she continued.

He frowned as she stepped out of his arms and turned to look at him.

"I want to start afresh here, Sasuke. With you. Your poetry. My music. If you'd have me- I'd like to use your work as lyrics in my songs."

She stepped closer, placing a hand on his chest as her apple green eyes locked with his dark black pits.

"May I have the honour of starting the career of my dreams under the shadow of your words?"

He smirked, gripping her elbow as he pulled her back along with him, sitting down once again on the leather cushioning of their seats, this time with her perched on his knee, her back against his chest, his mouth against her ear as he whispered his response.

"It would be my pleasure.


	4. Chapter 4

_Is this love? Or mere desire?  
Your fingers ghost over my skin like fire  
I ignite a storm in you ablaze  
We collide in a scorching heated haze_

* * *

"Keep doing that and we'll end up in here till morning." his low, playful voice echoed off the cool black tiles of the dimly lit bathroom.

Laughing, she replied, "Who says that's not what I want?" Her fingers continued moving in soothing, gentle circles as she loosened the knots from his naked shoulders.

Leaning against the wall of the large porcelain tub that featured as the centerpiece of his more than spacious bathroom, her bare legs were wrapped snugly around his torso as his head rested on the pale expanse of her collarbone, tilted upwards, his eyes gazing at the creamy skin of her neck, and the rose coloured locks of hair that swept over her shoulder, spilling into the warm water that surrounded them.

The sound of his mobile ringing cut through the relaxed silence that had settled in the room, the blaring monotonous tone serving to annoy the both of them. Tilting his head so that he could better see her face, he found her own emerald eyes shifting to meet his as she asked, "Are you going to answer that?" Cool, soft fingers moved from his shoulders to trace slow, enticing patterns on his chest.

A smirk creeping onto his lips, he sat up shaking his head slightly, the bulk of his weight on one arm while his other hand cupped the nape of her neck, pulling her face closer to his as his lips met hers.

Moaning into the kiss slightly, her hands pushed on his chest as she pulled away, asking, "What if it's important?"

Grasping hold of her wrists, he moved her hands aside saying, "It'll go onto voicemail" as his lips moved from her mouth to the skin covering her clavicle, leaving a trail of butterfly kisses along the side of her neck, both ignoring the ringing phone.

The phone abruptly stopped ringing as the sound of a recorded voice message echoed through the room.

"Why are you not answering any of my calls or messages? We need to talk, call me back ASAP. And DON'T ignore me."

The voice that spoke was feminine, shrill, snarky and seemingly pissed.

Looking up at Sasuke who had pulled away as soon as he heard the message start playing, Sakura found his face an expression of annoyed anger. Annoyance that one generally associated with failed relationships and exes. He cursed under his breath, evidently displeased by the message.

"Your wife?" she asked, tentative.

"Ex wife." he corrected, looking at her pointedly. "Karin." he spoke her name almost scathingly, as he leaned back to sit against the opposite wall of the bathtub.

"Want to tell me what happened there? Seems like you hate her." she said, slightly taken aback by his reaction.

"We were married about two years ago- I'd never been serious about the relationship, but then turns out she got pregnant. So I married her." he started, leaning back with a scowl on his face.

"You have a son? Or daughter?" she asked, surprised.

"No. It was a miscarriage. Would have been a boy. About a year after the miscarriage, I found her in bed. With another colleague. Drunk. Apparently it'd been something they'd had going on for quite a while. I was in Tokyo earlier this year wrapping up some loose ends from the divorce."

A heavy silence settled between them as she contemplated what he had told her, her 'oh' dying on her lips as she moved to sit next to him, her hand finding his as she gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"I'm over it now." he said, finally breaking the dreary quiet that had sunk between them, "Just have no idea why she's calling me after all this time. She always was superfluous- a bitch, I guess you could call her."

"You don't need people like that in your life afterall." Sakura said, finding no other words to offer him comfort.

Hearing her speak, he looked at her out of the corner of his eyes, his tired scowl tilting into a wry grin as he said, "Not when I've got people like you instead, I don't."

Before she could respond, he released her hand and moved to hold her waist to hoist her off the floor of the tub and pull her onto his lap, facing him, turning her to face him as she straddled his hips. Her surprise was quickly replaced with a seductive smile as she cupped his face and met his lips, letting him sink into her as they lost themselves in each other's pleasure once again.

* * *

 _As I learn you and you learn me  
We pass each other by like lost ships at sea  
Can I love you like I loved before?  
Or will this end in lust, nothing more?_

* * *

"Sasuke? Are you sure about this?"

She sat, the navy, velvety fabric of her evening dress snugly hugging her legs as they spread over the sleek black expanse of the leather interior of their limousine. The dress covered one shoulder, leaving the other bare to the ministrations of her companion for the night, looking dazzling in his inky black suit and navy shirt, unbuttoned at the collar, who was currently leaving tantalizingly slow kisses down the slope of her neck, his hand sliding over the creamy expanse of her leg, left uncovered by the slit drawn up the side of her gown.

"Sure about what?" he asked, between breaths.

"Me accompanying you here...sort of makes it public, doesn't it? You're not worried about what people might say?"

"Nobody dares raise any questions."

"Doesn't mean they don't think them."

"Doesn't mean I care. Neither should you."

She turned her head to look down at him, their eyes locking as he registered the surprise on her face- surprise at his words. "You really mean that?" she asked, almost hesitant.

"I do." he said, closing the distance between them as he attacked her lips once again, pushing her onto her back as her hands traveled to his hair, lacing themselves in the inky black strands.

* * *

Soft yet bright yellow lights, gilded arches and smooth marble floors so polished it would be possible to slide over them unbidden, a canopy of chandeliers overhead glistening in the candlelight, and the chink of fine crystal glasses in the hands of elites and socialites talking in hushed, conversational tones, the gentle classical tunes of a string quartet filling the room.

Her arm tentatively locked around Sasuke's elbow, Sakura allowed herself to be led down the marble stairway, descending into the room full of unfamiliar faces, people from the circles of life she chose to despise, but was a part of nonetheless.

Her eyes trained on the dark hair and chiseled face of the man next to her, she watched as he gently manoeuvered his way through the clusters of people gathered to talk. His eyes swept the crowd searchingly, as though he were looking for someone, though she had no idea who.

They were stopped several times mid-passage, by various people come to greet him, with exaggerated smiles and gestures of welcome, fancy airs and pompous grandeur. Several people later, he turned to face her, almost distractedly realising he'd been somewhat ignoring her in his survey of the crowd.

"Drinks?" he asked her lowly, as a waiter carrying a tray full of champagne flutes approached them.

"Is there someone you're looking for?" she asked, completely ignoring his question as she casually reached out and took a glass from the outstretched tray.

Taking his own glass of the beverage, he replied, "Someone I'd like you to meet."

"Who?" she persisted, curiosity piqued.

"You'll see." he said, his playful smirk returning as he led her towards the far end of the hall.

The man who approached them next was a near lookalike of Sasuke himself, albeit with smoother, longer hair, and an older, softer face. A relative, perhaps.

A quick look at Sasuke's face told her they'd found the person they'd been looking for- or rather, that person had found them.

"When you said you'd be late I didn't expect you to mean two hours late, brother." the newcomer teasingly said.

So this was the brother Sasuke had spoken so highly of before.

"When you're as in demand as I am, punctuality is quickly lost."

"So who kept you occupied this time? Your books or your coffee?"

"Neither. Unlike you, I have a stunning young woman in my life, perhaps you'd give her due credit of properly acknowledging her presence?" their banter came to a stop as Sasuke's arm snuck round her waist to pull her closer to him, smirking back at his brother.

"My apologies," the other man said, turning to face her properly as he greeted her, "It's a pleasure to meet you, the name's Itachi. Itachi Uchiha."

"The pleasure's all mine. Sakura Haruno." she replied, smiling pleasantly as she extended a hand of greeting. Something about the Uchiha brother struck her as incredibly guarded, as though their entire interaction was superfluous- something about him struck her as incredibly unnerving.

"So tell me Sasuke is she as intelligent as she is beautiful?" Itachi said, once again returning to tease his brother.

"I'm standing right here, you can stop talking about me in third person." she replied before Sasuke had a chance to, her snarky reply eliciting a suppressed laugh from Sasuke as he watched her talk back to his brother.

Chuckling, Itachi continued, "So she's feisty too. Where'd you find her again, Sasuke?"

"Once again, I'm **right here**. Don't need to talk about me like I'm a wallflower." she said, wryly.

"We met in Tokyo Airport." Sasuke supplied.

Seemingly annoyed, Itachi's next words sounded harsher, somewhat as a dig at her. "You're courting Air Hostesses again then? Didn't you learn your lesson the first time round?"

"I'm no air hostess. Try MBA graduate. London School of Economics." She countered, reluctant to let him gain the upper hand in conversation; mentally coming to the assumption that Sasuke's ex wife may have been an Air hostess herself.

"So you're working under the Uchiha? That's how you found her?" he persisted.

"In a manner of speaking." Sasuke replied smugly.

Swatting his arm with a playful scowl, she went on to say, "Lets say I skipped out on an internship in Berlin in favour of a career in music."

This seemed to elicit a genuine smile from the older Uchiha, who replied with, "Welcome to the club, I'm a playwright myself."

Sasuke snorted, saying, "We Uchihas have a penchant for abandoning business in favour of the arts."

"A playwright? Affiliated with which theater? And Genre?" she asked, pleasantly surprised at the discovery.

As they talked, she noted one of the guards they had encountered at the front entrance approach them, pulling Sasuke away for a 'quiet word'.

Curiously looking on at their exchange, Itachi said to her, "My most recent work is debuting next week, perhaps you'd like to pull Sasuke away from that cove of books he confines himself to and attend the event together?"

"It would be a pleasure," she said, going on to ask about the play itself.

Sasuke rejoined them, only to say, "They require my presence outside, I'll be back shortly." he nodded to them both before heading away.

Her eyes lingered on his retreating back as she listened to Itachi talk about the production, saying, "It's the first time I'll make an appearance on stage."

"Oh, so you act as well?" she asked, taking a sip from the glass in hand as she turned once again to face the older Uchiha.

"That's for you to judge."

* * *

Sasuke had been enjoying himself to no end watching Sakura talk back to Itachi in her usual witty banter, all the while looking dazzling in her midnight blue velvet gown, his arm wrapped possessively around her waist, until he'd been rather abruptly pulled away by the guards, much to his annoyance, to be informed of an unwanted intruder at the front gates- as the guard had put it, a 'heavily pregnant woman who insisted on meeting him'.

Sasuke had a fairly good idea of who said 'heavily pregnant woman' was, and that further angered his already irate mood.

Leaving the comfortable company of Sakura and Itachi, making his way to the front gates as the chilling night air cut through his skin like a knife, to come face to face with a much abhorred, rather unwelcome bespectacled redhead.

"Sasuke!" she shrieked, as soon as he came into her line of sight, not making a move to come closer to him as she waited for him to approach her.

Sighing in annoyance, he asked, "What do you want now, Karin?"

"Do you have any idea how much I've been trying to contact you?! You blocked my number!"

"Haven't I already made it clear I want nothing to do with you? Would you rather I had the guards forcibly remove you from here?"

"I can find the way out of my own volition, but you have to hear me out. Or would you rather be accused of mishandling a heavily pregnant helpless woman?"

"I have no interest in hearing whatever it is you have to say." he said dismissively.

"I could always do this in public, when you have that new bitch draped over your arm. You wouldn't want that, would you?" She said, smirking as she saw him tense angrily at the mention of Sakura.

"Leave Sakura out of this- don't ever insult her again either." He said, seething.

"I thought so. So hear me out." she continued snarkily.

"You have two minutes."

"This child is yours." She started, hand resting on the large swollen bump in her lower abdomen.

"Just like you weren't secretly screwing Suigetsu for months before I found out?" he said sarcastically, not believing her.

"I'm not lying! The amnoicentesis DNA doesn't match with Suigetsu's." she screeched.

"Then the child belongs to whoever else you were whoring around with at the time." he continued.

"How dare you-" she started, outraged at his thinly veiled insult.

"Is that all?" he asked, eager to go back inside.

"It was conceived before the divorce. When we were still together." she said, which seemed to catch his attention as he contemplated the possibility she might be telling the truth.

"So what do you expect me to do? Throw aside everything and jump to marry you like I did the first time?" he said, knowing he'd never commit to that again.

"The baby deserves a father."

"Doesn't it have Suigetsu for that?"

"He left once he found out." She said, a shadow of pain creasing her eyes as she said it.

Angry, he said, "Which is the only reason why you're here running to me. If you need help with the baby's finances, fine by me. Contact my accountant- you've had plenty of experience doing that haven't you? But don't expect me to do anything more."

Scowling, he turned to leave, walking back into the hall where he knew Sakura and Itachi would be.

* * *

She'd attracted quite a crowd.

Sasuke, as he walked into the hall found Sakura standing where he'd left her, Itachi nowhere to be seen, but a crowd of others engaging her in conversation. Sipping what must have been a second flute of champagne, a dazzling smile and polite, professional words, she'd gained the favour of several present.

A surprise for he, who could never hold a steady conversation with these elites and socialites for more than two minutes.

She still hadn't seen him re-enter the hall, however someone apparently had, for he felt a small nudge to his shoulder as a drink was handed to him. Turning around, Sasuke found himself facing his elder brother.

"You left her alone out there?" Sasuke asked, somewhat surprised.

"I must say your taste has improved. Substantially." Itachi replied, going on to say, "I introduced her to a few people, they stuck to her like glue thereafter. There was no need for me to stay any longer."

"Karin was a mistake- must you bring her up every time?" Sasuke asked, sighing at the constant reminders.

"Considering that mistake is still commanding your attention even now, I'd say the reminders are necessary."

"You saw that?" He asked, though he should have expected his brother would somehow come to know of the uninvited guest he'd had to entertain.

"What did she talk about?" Itachi asked.

"Apparently the baby is mine now. Goodness knows what she's trying to pull now." Sasuke replied, not for a second believing what she said.

"Perhaps its time to have that restraining order enacted?" Itachi asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"No." he deadpanned.

"If that's the case, you should go and attend your date before some other man tries to take her home." Itachi said, once again returning Sasuke's attention to the rosette who still commanded much attention among yet a new group of people who'd included her in conversation.

Scoffing, Sasuke shook his head as he walked over to where she stood.

* * *

Sakura sighed, inhaling the cool air of the well faceted restroom, bracing her hands against the cool marble counter as she looked into the mirror in front of her.

She'd always been raised to be the perfect hostess and elite businesswoman, polite and professional, perfectly cordial and adept at befriending the majority of crowds at events such as these- it was like a second skin of personality she preferred to shed and discard. Yet in situations such as these, even if not in the way her family had drilled into her, she still charmed and commanded attention like it was second nature.

It had been a relief to excuse herself and take a quick breather in the lavishly furnished restroom, but she'd been in there for almost fifteen minutes by then, and would probably have to get back soon enough.

Taking a final deep breath, she moved away from the sink and checked her reflection in the mirror from afar, touching up the makeup she wore slightly, before leaving the room.

Walking down the wide, empty corridor which led to the main hall, she felt a hand reach out to grasp her arm and pull her into what must have been a closet, judging from the closed, small space. A surprised cry of panic was quickly replaced by a relieved, slightly exasperated sigh as she realised her 'captor' was Sasuke.

"What are we doing in here?" she asked, her hands moving to rest on his chest as she leaned against him in the narrow space.

"Someone's popular. So popular that they've forgotten about me?" he said, whispering into her ear as his hot breath tickled her neck.

"Well who was it who left me alone with their brother in the first place?" she asked in an undertone, as her head rolled back to give him more access to the neck he now littered with kisses.

"That's not fair..." he started, before she covered his lips with a small, pale finger.

"Why not I make up for it now?" she said, smirking as her hand moved from his lips to the nape of his neck, playing with the silky strands of hair there as she pulled his face closer to hers, kissing him fiercely as he took hold of her hips, pushing her against the narrow walls of the closet, her hands wrapping around his back as their tongues collided in yet another scorching blaze.


	5. Chapter 5

_Your lips crush mine and our limbs intertwine  
And we dance across that tempting line  
Of love and lust, and their in between  
Not fully aware of what either could mean  
_

* * *

" _No way_ am I watching a two hour long _chick flick_ \- You're supposed to have better taste!" She cried indignantly, her third glass of red wine nestled in the palm of her hand as she slowly rose from the dining table, aware of the dark obsidian eyes which followed her as she walked to the door and turned to lean against the frame looking back at him, her head moving in small inclination towards the shadowy passage beyond which led to his living room.

"Its not a chick flick." he deadpanned, as he too rose, moving to retrieve a second bottle of wine before taking his own glass and following her out of the room, only slightly intoxicated as they argued over their choice of movie for the night.

"Then how would _you_ describe it?" she asked pointedly, her voice echoing against the dark walls of the passage.

"It's ... a historical drama." he supplied defensively.

" _Romantic chick flick_ \- revolting!" she huffed once again as they walked into the brightly lit lounge, the backdrop of a dark city littered with tiny lights staring back at them from the towering windows.

"Then what would you rather watch?" he asked, softening the harsh intensity of the lights before joining her to sit at the settee, across the arm of which she had gracefully draped herself over.

"I don't know... _The Exorcist_? _A Nightmare on Elm street?_ The _conjuring_ , even?" she asked sarcastically, remote in one hand, a now empty glass

of wine on the table in front of them.

"Horror?" He asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"That's not horror. That's...classic! Mildly bloodcurdling classics!" she continued, an incredulous expression on her face.

"Funnily enough, its more of Byron or the Brontes which come to mind with _classics_..." he said dryly, eyeing her with equal incredulity, leaning forward to refill her glass, adding more to his own in the process.

" _Romantic_ classsics aren't even in the running!" she said, tossing the remote absent mindedly aside as she took a sip from her glass, edging closer to him.

"Your _songs_ are romantic enough..." he pointed out, leaning into her arms as she ran her palms over the planes of his chest, fingers tracing patterns on the soft cloth over his collarbone.

"Based on _your_ lyrics!" she said with a sarcastic laugh as his hands settled on her waist, hoisting her onto his lap, she straddled his legs, her hands moving to clasp behind his head, toying with the soft inky black hair at the nape of his neck.

Smirking, his fingers slid to pull down the zipper of her dress, sliding down the shoulders of the dress and letting his hands roam across the pale expanse of smooth, creamy, exposed skin, "How can someone so pink and petite be so opposed to 'romance' in a movie?!"

"How can someone so stoic and brooding feast his eyes on _chick flicks_?" she quipped, her fingers moving to undo the dark buttons of his shirt, slipping it off, her fingers sliding closed as she latched her lips onto the soft, sturdy skin of his clavicle as she trailed hot, gentle kisses on his skin.

His hands circled her triceps as he pushed her back, to look her in the eye. His eyes trailed over the ridge of her cheekbones, down the creamy skin of her neck, further onwards to the long pink hair which surrounded and obscured the valley between her voluptuous breasts. A playful, seductive glint in his eyes, he said, "I can think of far more _pink and petite_ things to feast my eyes on."

Pushing forward, he caught her mouth in a rough, dominant kiss as her back hit the leather cushioning of the sofa, and her legs wrapped enticingly around his waist, her arms flailing above her head for a more comfortable position.

A loud moan escaping her, her back arched impulsively as her shoulders pressed back into the cushions, his mouth leaving hers in lieu of the slope of her neck.

Absentmindedly, she noted the hard, cold, plastic block of a television remote press into her shoulder, rubber buttons being pressed at random.

The loud cry of the television suddenly turning on brought both of them out of their lustful disarray, as he quickly sat up, looking around startled by the sudden noise.

Scenes of a dark haired man running through an airport to reach an unnamed departure gate, followed by the long brown hair of Jennifer Anniston greeted Sakura as she sat up abruptly, to face the television.

The final episode of F.R.I.E.N.D.S played out in front of them.

Scowling at the unwanted interruption, she pushed the sleeve of her dress back onto her shoulder, before grabbing at the remote and pointing it at the television in front to switch off the television.

"Don't turn it off-" Sasuke interrupted as the couple united in the boarding lounge of the near abandoned airport.

"Oh yeah, _ever_ the lover of cheesy romance." she said, rolling her eyes, hiding an indulgent smile on seeing the contented expression on his face as he watched the scene unfold.

"Airport scenes are different." he defended, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer to him.

"Crazy..." she said, resting her head against his chest, letting out a tired sigh.

"Doesn't the idea of chasing one's soulmate through the bustling, barrier ridden scene of an international airport, bringing them home against all odds before it's too late, appeal to you even in the slightest?" he asked, exasperatedly.

Soulmate? Who would that be to her? Naruto, she might have replied several months ago. But now? Imagining herself with him left a bittersweet aftertaste in her mouth, an uncomfortable burning lodged in her chest. And Sasuke? Sitting with his arms wrapped around her, his breath tickling her ear, she didn't just feel safe. It was comforting and secure, but elusive and seductive, intoxicating and sensuous.

But what could that mean?

"...No." she said, finding her rapidly escalating thoughts far off topic of the question asked.

"Not at all? It's one of my favourites." he said, watching the scene come to a close before taking the remote from her hands, flipping the channels till they landed on a blazing action film, and turning to gently stroke her hair, tucking it behind her ear.

"We met at an airport." she added, nonchalantly as she sighed and snuggled in closer to him, her arms wrapping around him too.

"That's beside the point." he added, reaching out to take his glass of wine, sipping more of it as they settled on a movie for the night.

"What if it's not?"

* * *

"And what love is sweeter than love unrequited? 'Tis not a love that needs two people, to complete...this love is mine. Mine alone."

The actor's voice echoed off the arched, shadowy ceilings of the dark theater, carrying to the upper balconies, where Sakura sat, spellbound, Sasuke at her left, his arm wrapped comfortably around her shoulders, his hand resting on the navy blue silky fabric of her dress.

Applause followed, a few disjointed claps to begin with, which spiralled into the deafening thunder of a standing ovation.

"What did you think?" She asked Sasuke as they slowly began their decent from their private booth, to follow the stream of invitees into the reception lounge.

"Itachi's themes are always controversial. Nobody in their right mind would write a script like that." He scoffed, his hand straying to the middle of her back, guiding her protectively through the open hallway, scowling slightly as he caught the hungry glances of other men settle on her.

"Nobody in their right mind would have as much success with it either, would they now?"she countered, a smirk on her face as she realised that he had enjoyed the production far more than his surly tone dictated.

With a small nod of agreement, he led her backstage, bypassing the security with a commanding glare, as they entered the private dressing room which belonged to Itachi.

Said man was hunched tiredly over his table, flute of champagne and a few celebratory boquets of flowers on the stretch of table beside them. Seeing his brother and Sakura walk in, he stood up, walking over to pull his brother into a semi-reluctant hug, nodding a warm greeting to herself.

"How did you enjoy it?"

He left the question hanging openly in the air, while Sasuke, ignoring it completely, gave the room a critical survey before asking, "Why accept the flowers when you've got hayfever? And why are you even accepting visitors now, you're clearly exhausted. Get some sleep."

Shaking his head, laughing slightly at his brother's concern, Itachi said, "Now now, that would be rude. What about you?" he directed his previous question towards Sakura, giving up hope of gaining any critique from his surly brother.

"Amazing. I had high expectations, but I must say even I'm impressed."

"I'm honoured to hear it."

"The lines at the end. You wrote them all, right?" she asked, the final verses of the play still etched firmly, powerfully in her memory.

"Definitely."

"Did you mean them?" she asked, thinking back to those words.

Something about the play in general spoke to her on a far more personal level. Be it the conflicting ambitions of the main character, or their love of the one person who refused to love them back. By the curtain's fall, the two almost lovers had remained no more than friends throughout- but the powerful words spoken by the lead spoke directly to her with a painful likening to the feelings she'd tried so hard to brush away.

"I never write anything that I don't believe in. Tell me, Sakura, has there ever been anyone you've loved one sidedly?"

She hesitated, looking over at Sasuke, who although not engaged in conversation could be seen listening raptly, despite his apparent disinterest.

"There's nothing you could say that he doesn't know already. Have you? Have you ran from it, unwilling to face the pain of those emotions? Have you condemned everything about that person, locked it away in the corner of your memory if only to forget?" Itachi pressed, almost laughing indulgingly at her hesitation.

 _Naruto_.

It had been so long since she'd last spoken that name. Ages, since she'd last thought it.

But then again, she was constantly flooded with small memories, small tidbits of his habits, and quirks. At least she used to be. Now? All that was left was a large gaping hole- not a hole created by his not loving her, for he definitely had loved her, even if not in the way she'd wanted. It was a hole created by his absence- by the loss of a best friend, whom she had distanced so far from her heart to shield it from any further pain.

"Love them or not- I've come to realise you can't banish them from your life. That love may not be the fairy tale's worth love which you find in children's books- but it is love nonetheless. Perhaps even a love stronger than any other- as I wrote, it needs not two people for its completion."

"Who have you tried to shun from your life?" Sakura asked, finding every word he spoke to be a new, crippling blow to the walls she'd built around that part of her emotions.

"Nobody." he said blankly, his eyes leaving her face to fix on a point on the wall behind her, a glassy, distant look filling his dark onyx orbs. "Life shunned her for me. Or rather, killed her."

She blinked in shock, almost aghast at the cruelty of it, as she was met with a look of anguish on his face.

"Don't let fate make the choice for you." he added.

All of a sudden, she couldn't stand up fast enough. A murmured phrase to excuse her from the room and she was running- running out of the room, through the darkened corridors, her phone in hand as she brought out the one number she'd neither had the courage to delete, nor the strength to call. Well- strength had found her now, as she dialed the number, it ringing in her ear as she found an exit and rushed outside into the cool night air.

Each ring echoed dauntingly in her ear as she started to think of everything that could work against her- his having gotten a new phone number being the first and foremost.

And then, he picked up.

* * *

Sasuke watched conflictedly as she fled from the room, before turning to fix Itachi with an accusatory glare.

"What was that for?!" he scowled.

Itachi gave him a pained smirk, picking up the flute of champagne from his table, taking a long drag from it before shaking his head wryly, saying, "You've really fallen hard haven't you."

"She'll go back to _him_ now." he said, entirely unwilling to let his brother in on the hurricane of conflicting emotions that thought gave him- happiness for her, who'd have been reunited with the one man he'd ever heard her claim to love; competing with jealousy- intense jealousy. A forlorn sort of sorrow with the knowledge that the one who'd so casually swept in, and stolen his heart in the process, would no longer stay by him. And agony- the sort of hidden pain which can only come hand in hand with death, or love.

"What I said to her applies to you too. Do you love her, Sasuke?"

His eyes still fixed on the closed door she'd used to leave the room, he turned to Itachi with more honesty than he'd seen since they were kids, and nodded. "I do."

* * *

 **Criticism please.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A nice, quick, update to reward all my wonderful reviewers...hope you like it 3**

 **~Raven**

* * *

"Naruto?"

Sakura's voice asked in tenative question, as she stood in the chilly air of the empty cobbled alleyway- she had somehow found her way to the theater's back entrance. Small flakes of snow settled hesitantly on her hair as she stood, shivering, not only with cold, but with excited, uneasy anticipation at the phone call.

"Sakura?!"

The familiar obnoxious blonde's exclamation greeted her, breathless.

"Naruto?" she asked in disbelief, expecting a slightly more boisterous response.

"SAKURA! OHMYGODOHMYGOD YOU'RE ALIVE YOU'RE NOT KIDNAPPED OR DYING OR WIPED OFF THE FACE OF THE PLANET WHERE'VE YOU BEEN WHAT'S WRONG WHERE'VE YOU BEEEEENNNNNN I'VE BEEN WORRIED SICK ABOUT YOU!" his rambunctious voice blaring in her ear as she quickly held the phone at an arm's length away from her- her ears ringing from his exclamation as she laughed and shook her head in exasperation, choosing to play along with his reaction.

"What the hell is this supposed to be, Idiot? I could've been dying or kidnapped or dead and you wouldn't know?" she said, playfully angry as she tried her hardest not to laugh.

"But why else would you be... _gone_?" he whined, sounding utterly, over dramatically dejected.

"I've been busy, baka. And evidently, so have you?" she scolded, slipping into their easy dynamic- her insulting him and his exaggerated dramatics.

"Yeah actually, pretty busy here- no, wait! I've been trying to call you every day for three months straight- once in the morning, once after breakfast, once at lunch, once before dinner, and once at midnight!" he said, agreeing with her subconsciously before angrily changing his words.

His words teetering on borderline obsessive behaviour, she doubled over in laughter, before raising a skeptical eyebrow as she asked, "...Aaand, what's Hinata been doing all that time?"

"Umm...Dancing? We get time in between phone calls? And I slowed it down to only once a day, and once a week, or once every two weeks, after she told me off for bothering you so much...after about three months of insane phone bills..." an audible wince in his voice.

"Erm...I may or may not have blocked your number? Accidentally?" an equally audible wince in her own.

"WHAAAATTTTTT?!" His shout was loud enough to echo against the walls of the building- without even being on loudspeaker.

"Sorry?" she tried, timidly.

"SAKURAAA I'VE BEEN SOOOO WORRIEDDD! SIX MONTHS WITHOUT HEARING FROM YOU!" he reiterated.

"Chill. I'm alive. Doing great actually. What about you?" she dismissed his shouting nonchallantly, once again holding the phone at an arm's length as she asked about him.

"I'm on tour with Hinata...we were in Venice last week and Rome now...landing in Switzerland next week! And then France and Germany I think... You still in Berlin? Stuck with that MBA?" his contempt for the job her father had tried to force her into was more than apparent in his voice. Her thoughts lifted at the idea of him being so close to her once again- after so long.

"Actually, I quit. Cut all ties with my father. Left Germany behind- all my possesssions in a suitcase and a ticket." she said, finding a sense of satisfaction along with the confession- proof that she was never reliant on him in the first place.

"A ticket to where?" he asked tentatively, hopeful.

"Geneva. I'm seeing someone- we're living together. He's kept me more than occupied these last three months." she said, smirking as she thought of just how _busy_ she'd been with Sasuke.

"GENEVA? I'LL BE IN GENEVA! I GET TO SEE YOUU? YAYYYYYYYY" his shouts had her ears ringing uncomfortably once again.

"Stop overreacting dumbass. Come over some time we'll treat you to dinner. " she reprimanded him, extending an invitation which held much more promise than her tone made apparent.

"Your coookingggg, I've missed thatttt...! But Sakura. Are you sure you're okay? He's treating you properly?" his playful words suddenly assumed a much more serious tone as he asked about Sasuke.

"Of course I'm sure." she scoffed, annoyed that he could even ask such a question against her judgement. Afterall, Sasuke had been much more sensitive to her thoughts than Naruto had ever been in the one way that had mattered to her the most back then.

"He's not the reason why I've not found you over phone call lately, is he? It's not like he kidnapped you and now you've got stolkhom syndrome?!" His overreaction once again had her in fits of laughter- especially at his knowledge of a term as complex as 'stolkhome syndrome'.

"I'm surprised you even know what that is- and no, he's not treated me badly at all. He's more than I deserve, even." she said, reining in her laughter as she finished her last sentence, all of a sudden thinking about the silent brooding Uchiha she had left behind in his brother's dressing room- and feeling horrible about it.

"Now now...none of that. You deserve more than anyone can give you- even though I _do_ want to kill you for disappearing on me on my wedding. You were supposed to be my guest of honour!" his moods and expressions changed faster than a formula one racecar.

"Aww Naruto...I'm sure Professor Hyuga was a wonderful supplement." she said, laughing, the thought of Sasuke a nagging guilt in her mind.

"More like he had wonderful hair supplements." Naruto murmured, distracting her from her thoughts as she realised just how disrespectful he was being.

"Naruto! That's your father in law!" she said, trying her hardest not to laugh.

" _I knowww_ but he's got that _horrible_ toupee." he whined.

"...that was his actual hair." she said, recalling the old, refined Hiashi Hyuga.

"WHAAAAAAT! MY LIFE IS A LIE!" she hadn't needed any warning to know to keep her phone well away from her head that time.

The excitement from their conversation running short, the chilly winter air had started nipping at her shoulders, as had the melting flakes of snow settling on her bare shoulders. It must have been unhealthily stupid of her to come out in such weather- more so to leave Sasuke like that, without word of what she was doing or feeling.

"Listen, Naruto...I sort of ran out on my date just now so I really think I should be getting back to him...It's not fair on him..." she said, hesitantly reluctant to put the phone down- irrationally fearful that she may not find him again.

"Oh, that's okay! I'll text you! It'll be funnnn!" he said, once again boisterous in his words as he started rambling about all the things he had yet to tell her.

"Okay...bye then" she said, almost awkwardly.

"But wait- one question! What's his name? Your new man?" he said, stopping her before she hung up.

"Sasuke." she said, hearing footsteps behind her, her voice fading to a whisper as she turned around to find the man who had approached. "Sasuke Uchiha."

* * *

He heard her almost awkward farewell- no doubt to the man she had spent every second of the last three months trying her hardest to forget. He felt his jaw clench with anger as he heard the appaullingly loud response, even from the distance, a couple of meters behind where she stood.

She was frozen, he noted, her shoulders almost bluish, snow in her hair, a flush on her cheeks and her nose and ears rosy. He rushed to approach her, as he removed his trench coat preparing to drape it over her shoulders.

She turned around as he approached and he became sharply aware of the whirlwind of emotions in her bright, expressive eyes. His name on her lips as the hand holding her phone slowly fell to rest limply at her side, she looked up at him. Her eyes swirling, she took a step closer to him, asking a tentative, timid question.

"Are you angry with me?"

He closed the distance between them, draping the coat over her shoulders as he said, "With you? Never."

Sasuke pulled her by the elbows, pulling her body flush against him, sweeping her off her feet in a kiss as his lips crashed into hers in a gentle, posessive kiss.


	7. Chapter 7

The light hum of the stereo in the living room resonated through the room when Sasuke walked into his apartment that afternoon. He was greeted by the immaculately tidy sight of his living room- even more well kept than its usual state.

Sasuke was by no means an untidy person, but even he hadn't seen the room so tidy for a _long_ time. Sakura- the one whom he was no doubt to hold accountable for the room's spotless state- had even brought ought his older, unused vases, and used them to hold fresh flowers which must have arrived in the morning while he had gone out to.

Hanging up his coat in the closet next to the front door, he walked through the living room, careful not to dislodge any of the neatly arranged magazines as he walked past the coffee table, into the kitchen- the source of the music, and most presumably where he'd find his live-in companion on this particular day.

He'd noticed long before how excited she'd been as she counted down the days for her friend's visit to their house, and his arrival in the city. Sasuke had watched with a mixture of longing and envy as she talked animatedly about Naruto's favourite foods, his love of snow, his tendency to fall sick in new places, all sorts of characteristics which she'd kept sharp in her memory even after all the time she'd spent away from him.

She was insistent on being the one to cook when they dined with their guests later on that evening- he recalled her having said the wedded couple would come in the evening- at around seven. She'd been out the day before ordering fresh flowers- Chrysanthenums, which she claimed were the blonde's favourite, and cherry blossoms.

As he neared the kitchen he was greeted by the delicious aroma of her cooking which wafted out the open doorway. Walking inside, he saw her working on the counter, slicing tomatos, her back turned to him, the music loud enough to hide his movements as he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, nosing her neck gently as she jumped lightly in surprise, before relaxing comfortably, laughing as she said, "You scared me!"

"Tomatoes...what're those for? Didn't you say Naruto _hates_ tomatos?" he asked, his voice low as he pressed his lips to her neck lightly.

"He doesn't _hate_ them...he just doesn't like vegetables." she said, moving away from the counter to lean against him.

"Tomatoes are a fruit." he interjected playfully.

"Only you would pay attention to those details." she said rolling her eyes.

"But what _are_ they for?" he asked again, noticing the pots and dishes she'd already finished, and arranged on the countertop ready to be taken into the dining room at a moment's notice.

"I'll put them in the ramen- he'll never complain about my vegetables if they're in that." she said, laughing to herself at the thought. She'd said countless times before how ramen would be the main course for the evening- in honour of their guest's special preference.

"There's dango too. Everyone loves Dango." she said, laughing.

Sasuke personally had a strong preference for the same- an acquired taste from his brother's preferences. He grunted in agreement as he thought of the handmade dango Sakura liked to make.

"Naruto always likes to listen to really tacky 60s music- an awful preference compared to many, if you ask me, but then it's what he likes nonetheless. You don't mind that I took out a few of the old CDs I have of that, do you?" she said, turning to look at Sasuke as she pulled away and scooped the chopped tomatoes into a bowl.

He frowned with mild annoyance as she brought the topic back, once again, to Naruto. The sheer amount of notice she gave to every tiny detail of his coming had been irking him for almost a week now, but he hadn't openly expressed it at any point thus far.

Trying to keep the irate edge out of his voice, he asked, "When did you say he was coming, again?"

"Seven o' clock. Though unless his wife's drilled any form of manners into that thick skull of his, you can write him off as late." She half turned away from the counter, with every intention to step away from him and continue with her cooking, but quickly found herself trapped by his strong, toned arms, which wrapped possessively around her waist, turning her to properly face him.

"It's not even four yet, what's the hurry? Stop fussing." he said, nuzzling her neck in his attempts to divert her attention from their soon to be visitor.

He heard her sigh of exasperation as her hands slid up to rest on his chest, pushing him away lightly. "Sasuke... we don't have time for that now.."

He was unrelenting in his ministrations on the creamy skin of her neck as he replied between soft, feathery kisses, "We do. Trust me."

"Stop it. I've still got to finish up here then shower and get ready by 6." Her exasperation turning to mild annoyance, she pushed back with more force, leaving him to reluctantly pull away from her, though his arms stayed tightly around her waist.

"We could always move this to the bathroom." he said suggestively, a teasing smirk gracing his features.

"No." she deadpanned, her efforts to have him release her from his grip still turning up futile.

Her adamance at refuting his efforts had been endearing to begin with, but his earlier annoyance was beginning to creep up on him like venomous spider. "For Goodness' sake, Sakura! We're not entertaining the prime minister here! It's a meeting between two friends. What on earth are you trying to prove?" He spat the words out more harshly than he'd intended, but was finding himself increasingly angered at the importance she was giving the entire ordeal.

She recoiled instantly, moving out of his reach with a silent look of reproach, offering up no answer to his questions.

More calmly this time, his voice deadly, he asked, "Are you still in love with him?"

"No!" she shot back, instinctively, before catching herself, amending her words with, "I don't think so, I mean...I don't know.."

Though not the answer he had expected, her response didn't please him in the least. His words curt, he replied, "Well then maybe you should make up your mind. From the way you're acting, anyone would have you pegged as some lovesick puppy."

Seeing her contemptuous expression of anger and pain, he turned away from her, starting to walk away, heading for the front door.

"Wait...where are you going?" she asked, confusion lacing her words as she took a step in the direction he had taken.

"Out for a run." he threw over his shoulder before the door slammed shut, leaving her to her own thoughts.

How was she supposed to explain to him that she was trying to prove, to herself more than anyone, that she was well and truly over her blonde haired best friend? Or that with every day more she spent in her dark, brooding roommate's company, she found herself with little to no romantic intentions towards anyone else? How would she explain that she wanted to show her overprotective former friend that her current choice of companion was not merely a 'rebound' from whatever heartache she had been left with?

* * *

"Sheesh Sakura! When you said you'd moved in with your hook-up, you never mentioned that he's loaded!"

The blonde was often chided for his blunt use of words and utter disregard for how they may be taken by other people- it was one of the unshakeable character traits to which Naruto owed both his extremely annoying and his most likeable qualities. Most of the time his ability to say the least tactful thing possible was not one he exercised voluntary- it would on the larger part be due to his complete ignorance of what the crowd would consider offensive or not. But not this time.

Naruto knew a statement as short and curt as that would surely put him on the recieving end of one of his pink haired best friend's infamous blows to the back of the head. But truth be told, from the instance he'd turned up alone at the front door of the address he'd been given, with his significant other running an uncharacteristic half hour late, from the time he'd been greeted by his long standing best friend and her newfound dark brooding partner Sasuke Uchiha, from the time he'd been caught between the duo, he'd been at a large loss for words.

He'd been in anticipation of this meeting for a long time now. From the moment he first saw the endearingly abbreviated nickname "Sak" show up on his phone's caller ID for the first time in the greater part of a year, he knew this rendezvous would be undeniably in store for them. Ever since she'd told him about the unknown man she'd moved in with, he'd expected their meeting to be one in which he, the overprotective best friend to the woman he considered closer than blood, would see the relationship for what it truly was: a rebound to ease her over whatever heartache he'd unwittingly put upon her, and would thus convince her to return to what she had been before. But what he hadn't expected, was for Sakura to seem so inexplicably, undeniably _different_.

Nothing had changed about her- not the emerald green of her eyes, nor the caring, yet unrelenting nature of her personality, nor the cheerful smile she'd always reserved for him especially. Nothing had changed in the way her mood could dynamically shift from well natured and happy, to exasperated annoyance. She was Sakura, the same as always.

But she seemed so much more, _complete_. As though her wild spirit, which had tied her so closely to himself, though not tamed, had finally found a home to ground itself to. In the way her soft eyes shyly stole glances of her partner when she thought he wasn't looking (glances which were returned when the Uchiha though they would escape her notice), in the way they never strayed more than an arm's distance from each other the entire time as they conversed with him, their guest, in the way all of their spoken words were aimed directly at the third party, with their own communication taking the form of silent understanding when their eyes met for fleeting moments, or sanguine gestures which were innately second nature to their dynamic; from Naruto's eyes, everything about them together- the woman who'd been his best friend for so long now, and this strange man who he'd never before met in his life yet subconsciously found himself trusting unconditionally- they fit like two pieces of the same puzzle, a perfect match.

And strangely enough, when Naruto was finally left in the company of Sakura and Sakura alone, he felt intimidated. Intimidated by the fact that so much had changed about her in such little time. Intimidated by the fact that he could no longer claim to be close enough to her to feel familiar with that change. Intimidated to the point that the only words that came to mind at the time were along the lines of, "Sheesh Sakura! When you said you'd moved in with your hookup, you never mentioned that he's loaded!"

And promptly, the expected blow to the back of his head landed with just as much potency as he recalled it to have a year ago.

"You don't have to hit so hard!" he complained, allowing a childish whine to slowly fliter into his voice.

"When you say things as stupid as that, you deserve it" She deadpanned sarcastically, her annoyed expression receding as it was replaced by one of forlorn tenderness, "He's not a hook-up. It's a steady relationship."

"You're much happier now, Sakura. Aren't you?" all the playful banter had fled from their conversation, in it's place an amiable ease which came with age old companionship.

Her mind still elsewhere, stuck somewhere in between nostalgia and reverie, she nodded.

"I'm sorry for what I put you through before." he started, being cut off by her own interruption.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. It was my own fickle mindedness that led to everything that happened. I should be apologising, for putting something as special as our friendship on the line." her voice was soft, but her expression relieved, as though a heavy burden on her mind had finally been lifted.

"You fit together. You and Sasuke. It's like you were meant to be."

"Really? Atleast _somebody_ thinks that then." she replied, a slight laugh in her voice as she rolled her eyes.

"Oi! Don't roll your eyes at me!" he cried indignantly, joining her laughter as he tackled her, playfully wrapping her in a hug as they descended into hysterics over the simplicity of it all.

"I really missed you, knucklehead." she said as an afterthought, once they'd finally recomposed themselves again to some semblance of decency.

"You too, Sak, you too."

* * *

In a way, she had been scared.

Scared that something about her meeting Naruto after so long would change the outlook she had grown to develop on her life in general.

Scared that something about the very _satisfying_ relationship she had developed with Sasuke, still in the early stages of fragility which only time and trust could overcome, would change with the coming of what she could only think of now as an old tryst of the heart, and a man who was almost brother to her.

After their argument- if that was what you were supposed to call whatever had happened in the kitchen before he'd abruptly left- Sasuke had returned to the house about an hour and half before they were supposed to be entertaining guests, joining a seemingly distracted Sakura in the shower (in spite of her numerous protests; she'd proven to be much less aversed to the idea once his unignorable presence had demanded entry on the other side of the shower's sliding doors). Whatever frustrations they hadn't dared to voice in words had been thus vented in more _intimate_ affairs.

The matter was far from resolved, but by the time a lone blond came knocking loudly on the sleek black door (seeming to have forgotten the existence of a softly chiming doorbell), Sakura had found herself far less nervous about the evening to come, far less upset about her near trivial argument with Sasuke, and Sasuke far more self reassured of whatever doubts had naggingly clouded his mind. Their subtle, unspoken communication was restored just as much as their comfortable physical proximity.

In retrospect, when Sakura saw the blonde for the first time, there were no pangs of heartache. No sharp jolts of wistful longing. No intense awareness of how discontent she was with her current situation. If anything, she felt a growing need to bang her head against the nearest wall a good few times for being stupid enough to let a silly infatuation stand in the way of what their friendship truly was; irreplacable.

Perhaps once, several misguided months ago, Sakura Haruno was hopelessly in love with Naruto Uzumaki. But the crux of the matter lay in the past tense. _Was_. Not _is_. She was well and truly over her blonde friend, and seeing him in person truly consolidated that fact.

 _And,_ she realised, what she had with Sasuke was _nothing short of explosive_. _Quick_ and _passionate_ and _burning with a fervour intensified only by their infallable attraction to each other,_ as consuming as an arc of _lightning_ through a stormy night's sky _,_ yet _slow and strong_ , built on _trust_ and _understanding, companionship_ and the unspoken _solace that remained in each other._

And she realised, she had gotten so used to him being such a strong part of her life that she simply _could not_ imagine a time when she ever existed without him. Be it too soon to voice such a thought vocally, within the realms of her mind, this was the man she could fully see herself spending the rest of her life with , cries of illogical haste and foolish affection be damned.

She wanted what her blonde friend had found in his dark haired better half; to cherish and love, and be cherished and loved, by the man she was with for the rest of her life. And any form of envy she may have had when looking upon the two, was in the way their matching rings glinted against each other as their hands bumped clumsily against each other when Naruto rushed to relieve his wife of her coat, sheepish smiles meeting each other as they extended their apologies for the inconvenience caused for her inability to arrive on time. Maybe, just maybe, it was time to let Sasuke know that.

 _Soon_ , she'd said to that thought at the time. Perhaps it was time for confessions once their guests for the night had left.

Needless to say, when a shy, apologetic, and incredilbly flustered dark haired dancer with cheeks rosy red from the outside cold arrived at their house a full half hour later than her lover and husband, Sakura felt absolutely no underlying trace of jealousy towards the absolutely adorable silvery eyed woman. Hinata was delightful company to have, and she found the remainder of the night so completely _natural_ , with her at Sasuke's side seated opposite both Uzumakis in the spacious apartment detatched from the fallacies of the world outside, so _inherently right_ , that it felt as though somewhere, in her long winded far fetched thoughts, some metaphorical stars must have alligned solely for the purpose of that reunion.

That was, until Sasuke's eyes became increasingly guarded, reluctant to meet hers and more reluctant to tell her what was bothering him, and she found herself transformed before she knew it, in less than an hour, from what might have been the happiest woman on the planet to a pathetic amateur musician alone in Switzerland with her heart pathetically broken (for the second time, mind you) and her mind confused beyond measure.

* * *

He tried to let his emotion talk him into believing that his eyes decieved him, he really did.

But as much as his heart told him that it didn't make sense, as much as his poet's soul told him to wait until they could talk and he wouldn't be in the least disappointed with what she'd have to say, and as much as he'd long before decided that he'd wait for her for as long as it would take for her to get over her feelings for Naruto, the guilty part of him knew that he was grasping at straws for an excuse.

An excuse to spur him on to do what he knew was the right thing, but not what his heart wanted at all.

It wasn't the argument they'd had before he left the apartment earlier. That was very quickly swept under the rug. Althoug, perhaps if they had resolved the issue and voiced their thoughts back then, he wouldn't be inflicting so much pain on himself.

The way his eyes saw it, she was still clearly in love with the blonde. Maybe she didn't know it herself. But when he'd spied them together in the moments when he'd returned to the living room without alerting them of his presence, he hadn't quite heard the words they exchanged, but he knew that the expression on her face was one she always reserved for _him_. The expression of affection which always appeared on her face when _Naruto_ came into conversation, but under no other circumstance.

Yet, he wasn't quite willing to believe based on that alone that all of their time together would amount to so little in her eyes. So he gave her the benefit of the doubt. And, when he met Hinata Uzumaki, he was tempted to feel _hopeful_. The wedded couple were clearly and lovingly content with each other, and he could see the approval in Sakura's eyes. He could see how she scolded Naruto, not as a heartsick girl, but almost as a mother would scold her child, when the blonde tried to separate the tomatoes she'd put in their food from the rest of his portion. He could see how content she seemed to converse with the couple while at his side, casually leaning into him and nestling her head on his chest as they spoke after dinner.

It gave him hope.

And still, when they parted ways and said their goodbyes, the wistful look of longing Sakura cast at the retreating couple was enough to bring him back on logic's course.

So when she met him in their bedroom, he'd spoken the lines that had been painfully cycling through his head for the tail end of their evening. Though it almost hurt physically to say, he detatched himself from their emotion as he reassumed the stoic facade which most Uchiha of his family were known for.

"I think it's time we end this."

He flinched at the finality of his own voice, feeling a piece of himself being chipped away with every syllable.

She froze on the spot, the silence loud enough for him to feel his own rapidly increasing heartbeat.

Taking her silence as a cue to go on, he spoke again, more rushed this time.

"You're clearly not over him and we're clearly not getting anywhere with this- if this afternoon has anything to prove it. You might think this is a bit sudden and honestly, if you need some time to sort out where you'd want to stay or what you'll do I can help you arrange a hotel for now and provide for anything. But its _unhealthy._ For both of us."

Something glinted in his eyes as he realised his sudden change in approach must have been quite shocking for her, and for a moment, the gravity of what he was doing truly sank in. He knew he was the world's worst bastard for leading her on and ending it suddenly like this, but she must have been equally to fault for luring him away like the elusive siren and devouring the heart he never knew had existed . And as much as it must hurt her for him to break the bond they shared like that, it hurt him a thousand times more feeling his heart shatter into a thousand fragments as he realised that if he went through with this, he'd no longer wake up to her petite figure wrapped snugly own his, or to the scent of her divine coffee wafting through the apartment; no longer come home to her half asleep on the couch, having tried and failed to wait up in angticipation of his return, half read book splayed forgotten over her stomach; no longer see the spring in her step as she walked comfortably alongside him on Geneva's moonlit streets by night, or beneath its crystalline blue daytime sky. No longer have her as a part of his life, for the fallout from what he was doing would surely be severe.

But still, he'd started. He couldn't exactly backtrack.

Taking a step forward, he looked her in the eyes and for a moment, they betrayed his attempt to remain expressionless as they glinted with a fraction of the anguish in his heart. "We can't choose who we fall in love with. But we can choose when to walk away."

His words, a low, sad baritone barely above a whisper, filled the room's silence.

And after what seemed like an eternity, her silken voice, hoarse from disuse, replaced his like the sweetest music to his ears, "I- I don't-" she trailed off as he closed his eyes, preparing to say what was perhaps the true reason why he'd suddenly changed his pace so drastically. Yes, he wanted to wait for her, stay by her side for as long as she would permit him. But at the same time, he was a man of duty and was perhaps in some ways looking for a way to justify his next action.

"You remember my ex wife, Karin? She-she contacted me a few months ago, claiming to be pregnant- she said it was mine. I..., well I didn't believe her then. It was far more likely to be Suigetsu's- the man she'd been consorting with behind my back. And even if it was mine- she left me, it was supposed to be her responsibility."

Sakura remained entirely silent at the dynamic the conversation had taken, and Sasuke found himself feeling like even more of a prick for it. Did it sound like he was choosing Karin over her? Was she angry at him by now? Did she hate him already? Somehow, he found that thought even more frightening knowing he would never be able to resolve it once he was finished.

"She went into labour this morning. Word came through to me after I.. _left_ the house earlier. The kid is quite clearly...mine. And she's apparently left Suigetsu now. Sakura, I can't leave her to raise the kid by herself when she-"

"You don't have to explain Sasuke, I get it." she said, in words that should have been filled with the sympathy and understanding that she was always so quick to genuinely extend. Instead, her words were steely. Ice cold.

Not giving him a chance to reply, she went on, her voice becoming increasingly shut off, snarky and curt. "The kid is more important. Of course. Afterall, she got her hands on you first. I hope you're happy with her."

"Wait, Sakura-" he found an unpleasant stone settling in his stomach as she continued.

"Just one last question, Uchiha." she interrupted him yet again, her expression unreadable but her eyes glassy with what he knew were unshed tears. "What. The. Fuck was that thing you pulled in the shower, huh?! One last quick shag before you run off and play home with your ex? Why bother staying any longer at all!" her voice was not any louder than it had been when she'd started off, but it held venomous lilt of the most potent extremity.

"Sakura, I-"

"I've heard enough, Sasuke. I guess this is it, huh?" she turned her back to him, walking to the door as he felt his hand reach out for her in reflex.

She was already out of reach, though, as she picked up a guitar case from its position on the wall. He heard her walk on into the hall, his legs following subconsciously as he saw the situation escalate in a way that he had already predicted but was in no ways prepared for. She was pulling on her coat, boots, throwing a pair of keys unceremoniously into the dustbin next to the apartment's front door, and as he made to follow her- say something, anything, to make her stop, to subdue the growing sense of panic that rose like a flood in his chest, to sort things out, to fix whatever horrific mistake he was making- she turned around, a bitter smile on her face as she added, "You can keep my stuff- not like I'll need it anyway. Sell it online, maybe. Or keep it for your _ex_. Either way, hardly matters to me. Have a nice life, Uchiha!"

She whirled on spot and left, the door slamming in her wake.

He stood rooted to the spot, his limbs unable to move, as his thoughts whirred manically.

He knew she would leave.

That's what he'd intended.

Then why, as he recalled the spectral image of her, carrying nothing more than the clothes she wore and a guitar on her back, did he feel so helplessly shellshocked?

It truly sunk in then, that _she was gone_.

And then, in a well and truly delayed response, he ran to the door, opening it with such ferocity that it may have fell off its hinges. Running as fast as his legs would carry him from their apartment floor to the main street, he found his eyes scouring every direction for any sight of a head of soft pink hair, a dark warm coat, combat boots, or even the unmistakeable shape of the guitar on her back.

And yet as far as his eyes could carry, in the far from deserted late night streets, she was _nowhere to be seen_.

 _Gone._

* * *

 **A/N: Hahaha, I love cliffhangers, don't you?**

 **It's been way too long, I do apologise.**

 **~Raven**


	8. Chapter 8

**Review please!**

* * *

 _"We can't choose who we fall in love with. But we can choose when to walk away."_

Long thick lashes framed forest green eyes as they cast their gaze up to the dimly lit windows of the imposing building before her. Iron wrought, ornately carved gates stood in front of her as she curled her fingers around one of the cold steely rods.

 _Had he, then, claimed to love her?_

Her thoughts had taken her to the hotel where she knew Naruto would be staying.

 _Any right for him to stake that sort of claim was forsaken the moment he cast her out of his life._

Why was she here, exactly? Not to chase a long lost love. No, she no longer loved Naruto.

To let him go? Sounds more appropriate. To cut off all loose ends.

 _Seems only right after she'd just had the rug pulled out from under her feet so abruptly._

She didn't exactly have anywhere to go now either, did she?

 _Anywhere but back to her father. That would have to suffice._

With one last drawn out sigh, her head tilted forward to lean against the cold iron gates.

"Goodbye, Naruto." echoed in a silky farewell, said to noone in particular but the omnipresent, ever-silent night sky.

She vaguely registered the sound of footsteps coming to a halt several feet away from her, a dark shadowy figure present out of the corner of her eye.

Footsteps too light to be male, too unsteady to be Sasuke, which squashed the guilty hope within her that maybe, however unlikely, the bastard might show his face.

Numb. She was numb from her fingertips to her toes- from the cold. Both outwith and within.

 _Because_ , she mused as she drew back from the gate and turned to look at the empty, dimly lit, large park which faced the hotel opposite the road, _for the life of her, she could not bring herself to hate the man who'd chosen his ex wife over his newer 'fling'._

Taking a few tentative steps towards the park's open gates, guitar case strapped securely over her back, she crossed the road.

 _She didn't want to be the homebreaker, the one to stand in the way of a boy knowing his father, the one to stand in the way of Karin's second chance at a family._

 _And she couldn't stay angry at Sasuke for doing what she intrinsically knew was the right thing to do. It was one of the things that made her love him so._

 _Except that was yet another item on the long list of things she'd never get to tell him._

She heard the same, muffled footsteps follow behind her, the shadow of a black coat staying in the corner of her vision, never closer than two meters away.

Curious.

She alternated paths once or twice, the faint murmur of newly sprouted leaves in a light spring zephyr very nearly drowning out the footsteps. But not quite.

So she had a tail. A shadow following her. What for, she wondered?

Choosing a lonely bench beneath what could only be an apple tree, she laid down her guitar case on the ground in front of her, taking her time to open the case and pull the guitar into her own hands.

Her shadow had come to a stop several feet away from her, seemingly inconspicuous.

 _Well if I'm to have an audience, no harm in putting on a show._ A wry smile shaped her lips as she strummed on the set of chords that had been brewing in her mind for a couple of days by then.

A single open ended melody which she harmonised with her own voice, loosing herself in the music which seemed to be the only thing constant in her world.

By the time her hands stilled and she leaned back,absent mindedly casting the guitar aside with all thoughts of her tail lost, she came face to face with a busty blonde, hazel eyed woman who stood directly in front of her, arms and bodice covered in a large black coat, long blonde hair pulled into two pigtails.

"And you are?" Sakura asked, realising the woman in front of her had been the one to follow her through half of the park.

"You're new manager. Congratulations, Haruno. You're en route to your very own record label."

The name on the card held out in her outstretched hand read Tsunade Senju, Feu studios.

* * *

The loud echoing wails of a dark haired, pale skinned baby resounded throughout the once pristinely organised apartment.

Said child was currently being bobbed around the living room on Sasuke's shoulder as he tried, for what was likely the tenth time in the past hour, to rock the baby to sleep.

They'd been coordinating between apartments- Sasuke's and Karin's, to take care of the child without moving in with each other, not so willing to make _that_ change just yet.

Rubbing the sleep out of his own eyes he stifled a yawn as the sound of a doorbell ringing added to the headache-inducing levels of noise in the apartment.

Holding the baby with one hand as he moved to answer the door, Sasuke was greeted by the pained expression of his elder brother, who walked past him into the room with a nod of acknowledgement, ignoring the annoyed sigh that fell from his younger brother's lips. His brother wasn't an unwelcome presence in his house but did his timing have to be so _inconvenient_?

Following Itachi back into the living room, where Itachi plopped himself down on one of the only empty spaces on the couch, Sasuke asked with a pointed glare, "What do you want?"

"Can't a man visit his own little brother?"

"You've not spoken to me in four months." He deadpanned. Itachi wasn't so busy that he'd entirely avoid Sasuke as he had done unless he was truly angry with his little brother. Or, as Sasuke suspected, with the company he'd been keeping.

"You should really get him off to sleep you know." he said, his head nodding towards the wailing infant.

Sasuke's vexed expression melted into one of indignant outrage; time spent apart never did much to curb the taunting and arguments the brothers were prone to. "Which is what I've been trying to do for the past _hour_?!"

"And why is he making such a racket? Have you fed him?" Itachi asked, pressing a hand to his temples, clearly unsettled by the bundle of noise.

"Twice." He defended,not willing to let his brother's condescending attitude extend to the field of parenting as well.

"Changed him?" He added.

"That too."

"Are you really such a bad parent, Sasuke?" Itachi asked, raising an eyebrow with slight mockery.

Peeved, Sasuke passed the baby unceremoniously into Itachi's unsuspecting lap. "Why don't you try then!"

Exasperated, Itachi's hands moved to pick the baby up, shifting him into a more comfortable position, looking down into half closed dark eyes with a stern, intent, commanding look characteristic of the elder Uchiha.

Sasuke's expression morphed from one of shock to awe as he watched the baby instantly quieten down, looking up at the new, unfamiliar figure with round, curious eyes, a hand flailing upwards to latch itself onto a strand of long dark hair which framed Itachi's face.

His forehead creased in mild annoyance as he moved his hand to extricate his hair from the infant's iron grip, pudgy fingers instead wrapping around his own long slender ones.

Ten minutes later, he was fast asleep in his cot, in Sasuke's bedroom.

Walking back into the living room, Itachi took a moment to survey the disheveled room. Unused nappies and packets of wipes lay strewn across the floor, having fallen out of their knocked over bag. Rattles, baby toys, and dummies littered the sofa, with half empty bottles of milk and half finished mugs of coffee scattered across the table. Blankets and unorganised clothes were hung over the back of one of the sofas, with baby-grows and vests lying in heaps around the room. A pile of books lay knocked over in one corner, with a plate of unfinished tomatoes on the armrest of one sofa.

Sasuke was seated, his head thrown back over the back of the sofa, his eyes closed, presumably having dozed off in light of the house's newfound tranquility.

Sighing and shaking his head with a soft, exasperated smile, Itachi set about organising the room, moving the toys into a basket placed next to the coffee table and clearing space for him to sit down next to his 'little idiot'.

Sasuke jerked awake at the sound, looking around at the surprisingly organised state of the room as he suddenly reminded himself of his brother's presence in the seat next to him.

"Thank you." he muttered under his breath, turning to look at Itachi, and the words thanked him more than for his help tidying the room, or dealing with the baby, but for finally choosing to stop avoiding the little brother.

"Foolish little brother. Why on earth would you let that bitch back into your life?" He hissed in response.

"Well what else was I supposed to do?" Sasuke defended.

"Did you even get a DNA test done? What's to say the kid is yours?" Itachi asked skeptically, criticism of his brother's actions clear in his voice.

"He's got black hair and dark eyes, I'm sure its pretty obvious." Sasuke deadpanned.

"Wouldn't put it past her to sleep with a hundred guys who fit that description." His distaste for the woman shone clear in his words.

"Is this why I haven't heard from you in four months?" Sasuke asked, annoyance clear.

"You know I detest the sight of her. And to think you abandoned a woman like Sakura for _this_?" Itachi caught himself, refraining from saying more at the way his brother visibly darkened. His own eyes softened as he caught glimpses of the grief stricken look in his little brother's eyes.

Sasuke scowled darkly, his head turning away in refusal to meet Itachi with a retort. Guilt and shame at the way he'd treated Sakura hung in the silence that ensued.

"So you knew Karin wouldn't be in today?" Sasuke asked eventually, knowing the answer before he even posed the question. It was Itachi, afterall. He somehow managed to end up knowing everything.

"Where do you think she's been heading off to every morning for the past few weeks?" Itachi asked, though it was already clear that he knew the answer better than Sasuke.

"Something to do with work, she's not exactly the best conversationalist." Sasuke replied, his tone making clear that there was no love lost between them.

Itachi scoffed, saying, "Something to do with a certain _dark haired_ pilot who's been out of the country for a year?"

Sasuke's look of blank confusion prompted him to go on to say, "I think you should get that DNA test."

Silence hung between them, Itachi never one to interrupt a moment of peace, Sasuke wholly too tired to defend himself.

His silence, however, could be taken as his being in the wrong.

After the quiet had lasted long enough to check that the baby would not suddenly wake up again, Itachi spoke. "You should take a shower or something. You look awful." Eyeing the watch on his hand, Itachi stood up, walking towards the kitchen door, noting that Sasuke'd likely not had anything for lunch by that point in the day.

"Wait." Sasuke called, prompting Itachi to look back at him.

"Can you...find out if Sakura's alright?" he asked, hesitantly, his eyes speaking volumes for what he refused to say aloud.

"Foolish little brother, what's to say I haven't been doing so already?"

* * *

"When were you going to tell me you were pregnant?"

His cool, soft spoken voice pierced through the room's silence.

Karin knew this conversation was bound to happen eventually. No matter how she'd tried to avoid the pilot since his return to the country several weeks ago, ignoring his attempts to communicate with her outwith the confining company of their colleagues, she'd instinctively known he would corner her eventually.

He was her best friend afterall.

Being the one to witness firsthand his rise to position as one of the airlines' most esteemed captains, Karin knew just how determined Sai could be.

"When were you going to come back home?" She retorted, not willing to let him control the conversation in the way she knew he'd want to.

The last she'd seen any trace of him was well over a year ago, when they'd parted ways following a particularly unsettling argument over her choice in men.

Even when she'd waited for him to return from another set of flights, hoping to set things right between them, he hadn't come home

"How do you know it's not _my_ child?" He asked, his voice flat as he avoided her question, knowing she was well aware of the fact that the illness he'd contracted overseas made it impossible for him to return for several months.

Were she and Sai lovers? Definitely not. Contrary to most of the men in her life, she'd never once been romantically involved with Sai. Any thoughts she might ever have dreamed of having toward him in that regard were frequently squashed with the belief that his friendship was more valuable to her than any of the other reltionships she'd had- too valuable to risk .

Yes, she'd slept with him. In a desperate attempt on his part to console her and on her part to drown her sorrows in pleasure.

But she'd very quickly (hours later, to be precise) realised that it was a mistake- one which could jeapordise everything she'd treasured in her friendship with Sai.

"What?! No. Look, that was a one night mistake and I thought we'd both agreed not to talk about it again." She replied coldly, trying her best to shut him down before he could venture into dangerous territory.

"More of a mistake than trying to get back together with _him_?"

She was well aware of the hatred Sai held for her former husband and the way their marriage had very quickly gone sour. In fact, she'd known Sai would be the one with the biggest bone to pick over her decision to start again with Sasuke.

"We were married for a year, maybe the divorce was the real mistake." She quipped, already feeling the halfheartedness off her response seep into her voice as she looked with crumbling resolve into his unwavering dark eyes.

"Don't think for a second that I believe you actually feel that way." He said lowly, taking a step towards her, sensing her growing desperation to defend her actions.

"Well, what else was I supposed to do! Suigetsu left me, you were god knows where, how was I supposed to deal with a kid alone?" She cried, pleading, near begging him to understand, the frustration in her voice quickly turning into anger.

"I told you Suigetsu was bad news." He quipped softly, as though an afterthought, though his words barely concealed his anger towards her on and off white haired lover.

"And if I actually listened to you I wouldn't be in this mess in the first place, right?" She retorted, quickly taking his blunt statement to be on account of his gloating at being right about Suigetsu, going on to sarcastically add, "Well, _sorry_ for doing things _my_ way."

He grimaced, his expression pained as he tried to reason with her, realising that his poorly placed statement had been entirely misinterpreted by her.

He still hadn't fully moved on from his tendency to be blunt and tactless at times.

"It's _my_ fault you got pregnant in the first place, I'm not claiming otherwise!" He said, trying to placate her, before cutting her off as she looked ready to deny his claim of fatherhood, "-And don't say it's not my child - you and I both know the timings match perfectly."

And they _did_. Much as she'd convinced Sasuke that it was his child, a part of her was well aware that the last time she and Sasuke had truly been together had been far before the estimated time of her son's conception. And much as she'd denied Sasuke's allegations that she'd been sleeping with anyone else at the time, she _had_ been with Sai.

She'd had a nagging suspicion in her head since she'd first found out that she was with child, that it could quite easily (and most probably) belong to Sai.

That being said, with her best friend nowhere in sight for an amount of time unknown to her, she was more than willing to convince her former husband that it was his responsibility to help her care for the baby she was too afraid to raise on her own.

It may have been truly cruel of her to force his hand in such a way, but she'd felt cornered at the time with no other options- she felt guilt for severing his second chance at what he couldn't have with her, but she hadn't seen any other way then.

Just as there was no other way now.

She was always, pathetically concerned with self preservation first and foremost.

"So what would you have me do?! I won't hurt Sasuke anymore- I've already put him through enough." She had. She'd been despicable, and much as she quarrelled with Sasuke- he had been kind to her. Atleast he'd tried. He deserved better - deserved not to be deserted by the same woman twice in less than a year. Deserved to be with someone who treated him with respect. _Like the woman he'd let go, for the sake of a boy who might not even be his._

"Weren't you the one who said that you two can't go two minutes in the same room without arguing about something or another?" He pierced her thoughts once again with his words, throwing back the words she'd used to describe the relationship to him in the first few months of her marriage.

"Atleast let me give it another try!" She somehow realised then, by the set of his jaw or the intensity in his gaze, or the truth in his words, that she was fighting a losing battle. She turned her back to him, not willing to let him see the forlorn defeat in her eyes. Her eyes scanned aimlessly over small corner of the runway visible from the office window.

"Do you love him?" He asked softly, his voice cutting against her like the blunt edge of a knife.

"...No" she replied, deflating somewhat. She was grateful to him, immensely; admired him in many respects, but love? She didn't. Atleast, not anymore.

"Does he love you?" Sai pressed, moving closer, his voice dropping to a whisper as though afraid to ask the question.

"God no." She scoffed- the very thought of the Uchiha in love with her was so absurd it had her rolling over in laughter internally.

In the reflection cast by his face on the window, she watched his forehead crease in frustration, somehow unable to understand.

Sudden arms wrapped themselves around her, his strong chest pressing against her back. She jolted slightly, feeling his head rest on her shoulder, his grip strong enough to be almost crushing as he held on to her. As though he was scared to let go.

"Then why..." he trailed on, his voice regaining some of its strength as he went on to ask, "Why do you insist on staying with a man who can never make you happy?"

The raw emotion in his voice startled her. Even with her, Sai was never quick to show his emotions. She found herself increasingly confused with the direction the conversation was going, even more so confused by the way her stomach jumped in nervous jitters as she felt his breath against the shell of her ear, a slight blush dusting her cheeks.

"Why stay with a man who'll treat you like shit when you deserve to be cherished and loved for who you are?" He continue, his arms squeezing tighter as he finished.

Wouldn't that be nice.

To deserve to be cherished and loved for herself.

Her smile was bittersweet as she reminded herself that as sweet as his words seemed to her, she'd never done anything to deserve anything of the sort.

"As if any man in my life has done that for me"

His next words brought with shattering suddenness exactly what he was trying to say, her heart fluttering at the quiet intensity of his words.

"I would" _I would love you._ _I_ do _love_ _you_.

"Sai.." he couldn't be serious. Not _her_ , he'd never so much as looked at her in that way. Sai couldn't want to love her.

"I-I'm serious." His voice cracked, as he struggled to put words to his thoughts, hesitant as he considered the hundred ways he could somehow mess upon. "This.. may have never been more than a friendship to you..." he met her eyes through their reflection in the window, dark orbs commanding her to meet his as he went on to say, "but to me there has always ever been _one_ woman I'd want to spend the rest of my life with. _You_."

"What-" Not _her_. She'd never thought Sai would ever even consider her in such a way- she'd squashed any feelings that may ever have grown towards him under the assumption he'd never want her back. Surely not _her_.

"I don't care if it's not my child. I'll treat him like my own flesh and blood." He stopped her from asking her half formed question. Something in her stirred at his words. He was willing to do all of this for _her_. When was the last time anyone had been so _willing_ to care for her? Had anyone ever?

"But-" but she couldn't do that to him. It wouldn't be fair. Not on him. Not on Sasuke.

"And don't worry about Sasuke, I'm sure you'll be doing him as much of a favour as you do yourself." Well...he had a point. It was clear, for all his trying, Sasuke was acting largely out of obligation. And Sai? Was it obligation? Or did he truly care for her as such? Would he leave? Just as the rest had?

Years of knowing him said he was being earnest. She trusted him at least, to not lie to her.

"Sai-" but Why her?

"I don't care if you don't love me yet either. Give it a try, I won't let you regret it."

Yet. It would be very easy, she decided, to fall in love with Sai. Very easy.

How did she deserve anything close to what he was offering?

"I don't get it, Sai, Why? _Why_? You're the only person who knows _everything_ about me- the only person who's seen me at my worst. The only person who knows how insufferable I can be. Why would you want _me_." She let the damn burst, every insecurity, everything holding her back, everything she'd told herself a million times to make her believe that _he_ could never love _her_ , eyes glassy with tears which seemed just as pathetically uncontrollable as they'd always been to her.

She felt him laugh slightly, turning her around to face him fully, a kind smile on her face as he poked her on the nose childishly.

"You're being silly, Karin. I wouldn't have you any other way. Marry me."

And she could. It could work. It _would_ work. She'd make them work. She could make things right, finally.

"...Ok." She said, her lips tilting upwards in a smile as she felt tears pooling in the corners of her eyes. Happy tears.

The strength of his smile, and the hug that ensued, made it all worth it.

* * *

He'd expected, when he first watched her walk into his apartment minutes after he'd bid Itachi goodnight, meeting her bespectacled eyes with a stern, "We need to talk", that he'd be angry at her.

He'd expected to curse the woman who'd likely lied to him about being the father of her child and given him reason to cast Sakura out of his life. To be frustrated at the very least, as he threw the results of a DNA test on the table between them- tests which made clear the absence of Uchiha parentage in the son he'd been raising for the past few months.

But as their conversation slowly unfolded- one of the only amiable conversations they'd had in the past four months, he found any residual anger dissipate.

She had been, after all, at one point, his friend. Before their relationship, before their marriage, before her first pregnancy. A friend.

She done what any woman in her panicked state could have done.

And much as he blames her for what happened between he and Sakura, he couldn't deny that the choice to leave Sakura had been his alone.

Perhaps he was scared. Afraid of how quickly, how deeply he'd fallen for her with no solid proof of his love's return. Too willing to walk away from something which made his heart lurch with fear than stay and let his heart get crushed.

Foolishly afraid, he realised, for there was nothing he wanted more than to have his pink haired companion by his side again. Permanently.

As he watched her leave his apartment, dark eyes cast downward to the street below where the redhead walked out, bags of baby essentials and sleeping child in arm, to meet a dark haired man who could have passed for his second brother in another time, a gentle, genuine smile on her face as she watched the boy meet his real father for the first time with wide, curious eyes, he couldn't help but feel happy for her.

It looked like she'd finally found what she couldn't find in her first marriage.

But what of the one he'd lost in the process?

Turning back, his eyes sweeping over the rather empty, clean (courtesy of his brother) living room, he found himself flooded with memories of a petite pink haired form flitting in and out of the room, forest green eyes staring up at him from her perch on his sofa, or head of long silky hair hidden behind a book while sitting on the fluffy floor rug, back leaning on the sofa's legs, sometimes brow furrowed in concentration, sitting behind a guitar, laptop open in front of her as she worked on her music , when she thought he was out of the apartment, or leaning against the doorframe clad only in his shirt, mug of coffee in hand on a particularly sleepy morning.

The last four months had felt like _hell_. Not out of any specific contempt towards Karin or the baby, but his mind's own inability to take its attention off anything but Sakura.

He needed her back.

It didn't matter how long it took him to find her, how far he'd have to go to win his way back into her life, how much effort it would take to win her trust.

For her, it was worth it.

 _We can't choose who we fall in love with, but we can choose when to stop running away._


	9. Chapter 9

**Not much left with this one, and it's about time I'll say. Thanks to those who've stuck around this long.**

 **Review and enjoy**

 **~Raven**

* * *

The vibrations of a phone buzzing against Shikamaru's leg broke his concentration, diverting his attention from the musicians in front of them. His hand moved to end the call without even bringing the phone out of it's pocket- the studio in front of him demanded far more attention.

Two blondes sat in front of the electronic music apparatus in front of them, the younger of the two wearing headphones loosely around her neck, hand splayed over a sound mixer, brows furrowed in concentration as she worked on balancing the music track with the voice recorded on the other side of the glass divider, where a pinkette with identical headphones around her head sang into what he knew to be a high end microphone.

The older blonde, sat back in her chair, eyes closed in an almost relaxed position- but he knew she was anything but relaxed as she listened critically to their newest recorded work.

Tsunade Senju was very particular about the musicians she'd sign on her record label; and on the rare instances the woman allowed new, almost unheard of musicians to join her ranks, she was incredibly demanding. It had been barely four months since the older woman had returned from Switzerland to their headquarters, pink haired stray in tow with the announcement that Sakura Haruno would be the next big project she'd work on- but Sakura was almost finished with their first studio album. _Something exceptionally demanding even by Senju standards_ , he mused.

His ears strained to pick up on the new edits Ino, who'd worked largely on the music for this particular song, had added to the backing track while, on the other side of the soundproof screen, their pink haired artist added yet another layer of sound to the song they were in the process of perfecting. _It's practically perfect already,_ part of him argued as he looked between Ino and Sakura.

The blonde was a well established musician in her own right; having worked on the international scene for several years as music producer and DJ- but she'd become quite attached to Sakura from the moment Tsunade had first introduced the two girls. He'd remembered watching the two connect, on a level he couldn't even fully see, quick to taunt each other with harmless banter, but understanding of each other as though they'd known each other their whole lives.

Naturally, he'd become good friends with the newest addition to their group of musicians; not quite a band but working together often enough to be more than solo acts. _They worked on practically everything together,_ afterall.

He watched the music taper off to a quiet finish until only Sakura's vocals remained, the recording coming to an end as the pinkette shrugged off the headphones, instead walking into their room to hear their manager's verdict on the track.

Feeling the vibrations of a phone start up against his leg yet again, he near groaned in annoyance from his position leaning against the wall next to the door leading out of the room.

Pulling the phone reluctantly out of his pocket after the third ring, he snuck a glance at Tsunade, who didn't look like she'd be opening her eyes for feedback any time soon, his eyes darting to look at Sakura and Ino who seemed to be looking over the music score- no doubt picking up on some new edit they'd want to make to the track, or on a phrase which they felt didn't go well as it could have this time.

 _Nobody would notice if he slipped out for just a few minutes._

Closing the door with a slight 'thud', he turned back to the phone, which seemed to be on it's seventh ring, before the caller finally decided to hang up.

He recognised the number though, his fingers moving to call the number back, a slight mutter of 'How troublesome' escaping him before he brought the phone to his ear.

They picked up by the second ring, and he felt the name roll off his tongue as though it was second nature to him, "Sasuke Uchiha,"

Listening for the other man's tone, analysing his words, he detected a strange mix of impatience and hesitance in the voice which came through the phone, "It's been a long time, Shikamaru."

It hadn't, not really. Not by _his_ standards anyway. Shikamaru let his mind wander to the last time he'd spoken to his old Uchiha friend.

It had been just after Tsunade returned with Sakura. And the only reason he called was because of Sakura.

Shikamaru should know, afterall. A month before Tsunade had left for Switzerland, Sasuke had come into contact with Shikamaru, knowing full well his connections in the music industry would be the best way to get Sakura's music samples into the right hands. She had talent, quite obviously. But once Shikamaru had given her demo recordings to Tsunade, her recruitment was all but solidified- which had no doubt been the Uchiha's intention to begin with, considering he was at the time supporting Sakura's attempts to kickstart a career in the music industry.

Once Tsunade had brought the rosette to join their record label, it became painstakingly clear that she had no clue what part Sasuke'd had in Tsunade finding her- something which the Uchiha apparently wanted kept that way.

The last he'd heard from Sasuke, he'd been calling Shikamaru up to check if Sakura was okay, and if Tsunade had been the one to find her in Switzerland. That had been four months ago, and anguished as the Uchiha had seemed in that conversation, Shikamaru had grown to be much more defensive of Sakura having come to know her better- the woman in question didn't say much about her relationship with the Uchiha and the circumstances which led to Tsunade stumbling upon her in a park, but whatever little she did share with them didn't paint Sasuke in a very good light.

"Shikamaru?" He heard Sasuke call his name through the phone, and realised his internal musings and lack of a response must have been quite confusing to someone on the other end of the line.

"Uchiha, what can I do for you?" he drawled, eyes cast through the glass window of the door, checking to see if the studio's occupants had any angry eyes put his way just yet.

"How is she?" even after all this time, he still sounded breathless at the question, almost as though it hurt to ask.

"I don't know, Sasuke, do you really have a right to ask?" he countered, almost audibly hearing the other man deflate at his response.

"Please, Nara. I need to set things right." There was an air of desperation in the poet's voice, one which made Shikamaru tempted to give him a chance, but the image of Ino's disapproval lurking in the back of his head prompted him to hold out a little longer. Afterall, it was rare to have an Uchiha sound so desolate.

"And break her heart again? You think anyone who knows her now will let that happen?" He defended, almost curious to see how the wordsmith would defend himself.

"I'm a jerk, ok? Let-Let me fix it." It may have been imperceptible to most, but Shikamaru heard the way his voice cracked as the Uchiha all but pleaded. Before he could respond, Sasuke continued, "In fact, I don't even need to ask about her just, where is she? Can I talk to her?"

"A jerk. Wow, I didn't know self deprecation was in your skillset, Uchiha. If you want to talk to her, why not call her?" Shikamaru said, smirking at the tease in his voice in spite of the nagging part of him gnawing in guilt at the way he was belittling what seemed nothing but genuine on Sasuke's part.

" _Please_ , Shikamaru." The raw vulnerability which the Nara detected in his voice was really all the persuasion he'd needed.

"Look, I'm the last person who needs to be convinced you care for her- You're the reason Tsunade got a hold of her demos afterall," It was purely Sakura's talent which had Tsunade even following up on the demos they got sent, but Sasuke sending them his way without Sakura's knowing was a huge kickstart to the process. "..But you'll know better than anyone that you've hurt her. It's on her whether she'll forgive that."

"I can't ask her to forgive me if I don't even know her goddamn _phone number_ , can I?" The desperate, almost angered edge started creeping into his voice.

"We're out in America now. Our recording studio in New York. She's got a new phone number. I can text you an address. And a number." He couldn't hold out on that for long, could he? Fun as it was to listen to an Uchiha beg from half way across the world, Shikamaru was no asshole.

The sigh of relief, (or was it excitement?) was audible even through the less-than-perfect telephone connection, and Shikamaru felt the corners of his lips tugging upwards in his trademark lazy smile. The sight of blonde hair and blue eyes through the door to the recording studio, however, reminded him of the due threat Ino would expect him to dish out, prompting him to interrupt Sasuke's thanks with, "If you screw up again there's going to be hell to pay for it though, you know."

"I don't think I'd have it any other way." He could almost _see_ the other man smirking, as though the knowledge that Shikamaru wasn't about to hang up on him without giving him some way of contacting Sakura was enough to lift an indescribable weight from his mind.

"Then expect a text soon." Shikamaru found himself returning the smirk; it was almost comforting to know Sasuke had finally come to his senses (he didn't know the man awfully well now but at one point in their younger years, they had been good friends). His eyes looking through the window to the recording studio again, he concluded he'd quite like knowing there was a chance Sakura would manage to reconcile with the Uchiha who was quite clearly still in love with her. They suited each other.

"But really, how's she doing?" he heard Sasuke add after another set of thanks.

Eyes darting to the head of pink hair which approached the door, no doubt to come out in search of him, Shikamaru felt the ghost of a smile on his lips as he answered the question, "She'll have an album on the shelves in less than two months. She's doing great."

Knowing the conversation had reached the end of it's use, Shikamaru let the phone slip to his side, ending the call, as he turned to face Sakura.

"Hey, what are you doing out here? I'm sure Ino wanted your input on that last part." As powerful as her voice could be while singing, it was almost always soft and gentle in person.

"Just dealing with a phone call, I'm coming in now." he answered, muttering his dissent at being dragged around under his breath, though from the way she rolled her eyes they both knew it was in good humour.

"You can't go around saying things like that, ne Shikamaru?" she added, laughing lightly as she swatted him on the arm, turning to open the door.

"Well I am the sound engineer here, you'd both be lost without me." he said wryly, though they both knew he was speaking the truth; he'd customise and refined just about every piece of equipment in their studio.

"She's your _wife_ , you'd be lost without her." her knowing laugh followed them back into the studio, joining Ino and Tsunade's characteristically loud conversation.

* * *

She'd been in the process of pulling out a glass from her cupboards when the distinct tune of an indie rock song she'd taken a liking to as of late (courtesy of Ino, of course) rattled at her from where her bag sat perched on the kitchen table.

 _Her parched throat would have to wait then,_ she grumbled to herself, as she walked over to the table and pulled the sleek device in question from the confines of its bag, not bothering to glance at the unknown number before bringing it to her ear, her fingers sliding to answer the call.

 _She was beginning to sound like Shikamaru,_ she mused, laughing at the thought as she remembered how quick she'd be to complain about a simple phone call when she'd really spent most of her day in the recording studio, away from her phone altogether. Much as she adored the Nara couple, being around them enough to _sound_ like them was a daunting thought.

 _No more grumbling, then_. Her internal monologue came to an end as the phone connected- it took longer than usual, she noted with a frown as she walked over to the kitchen's sink, could it be an international number?

"Hello?"she ventured into the phone which she now squeezed to her ear with a shoulder, watching her glass fill up with what should be cold, sweet water. Her throat seemed to dry even further at the sight, desperate for a drink.

The only sound that filled the room was that of the tap squeaking slightly as she turned it off, finding herself frowning at the lack of a response from her unknown caller.

"Hello? Who is this?" she tried again, hoping the impatient confused edge stayed out of her voice.

Who could be calling her on this number? That she didn't already have saved as a contact, that is.

She paused in her steps, concentrating on any hint of noise from the phone, noting vaguely the sound of low, heavy breaths. Rapid breathing, too. "...Hello?" she asked, giving her caller one last chance, deciding she'd hang up if she was still left with no response.

"...Sakura?" the voice which greeted her was hoarse, and deep, and washed over her like rain over dry leaves in the summer, almost tentative but not quite, and filled with what her ears could only describe as desperate, nervous excitement.

She _knew_ that voice.

Or rather, she had four months ago when she'd stormed out of it's apartment.

She felt her heart skip a beat and promptly break into a sprint as her hand snatched at the phone, just in time to stop it from falling away from her less than supportive shoulder, standing in shocked silence.

"Sakura?" He was more steady, this time. More sure of his words, like the poet he was.

She wasn't sure if she it was fear, embarrassment, anger, surprise, or all four which kept her silence but the only thing she could hear from her end of the phone was the sound of her still rapidly pounding heart.

 _Oh. Oh, hell._

 _Shiiittt. Shit, shitshitshit what-do-I-do-noww?_ What was she even supposed to do?

Her instincts kicked in, and she hung up.

"What the fuck?" she mused audibly, raising the glass of water in her hands to her lips, thoughts racing. _Why did he have her number, even?_ It had definitely changed since she was last in Switzerland. Nobody was supposed to have that number. Except for Tsunade. And Ino. And Shikamaru. And the album release team. And- _She hadn't given that number to anyone._

"Not even Naruto has that number." _How did he get it?_

And _why_ was he calling, exactly? Wasn't he the asshole who decided he wanted nothing to do with her?

Nothing at all. That was his choice, not hers. Not what she wanted, even.

After all, she was still half in love with (and half afraid of the fact that she was in love with) a memory.

Her heart clenched as she looked back to the phone in her hands, walking back to the sink to fill up another glass of water. _Should she have stayed on the line? What would she even have said? What would_ he _have said?_

What if it were something important? What if it were some sort of emergency? She tried thinking back to how he'd sounded in the two short words he'd spoken- was there anything off about it? Was he in some sort of trouble?

Why should she care, even?

But _what if-_

"Calm down." she muttered out loud, trying to reign in her thoughts. " _Calm down_ " A little more forcefully, this time.

She looked down at the phone in her hand, gingerly, as though it were a time-bomb. _What now? Should she call back? Was he going to call back?_

But her throat was still so parched. She'd almost forgotten the empty glass in her hand.

As she turned the tap on, she jolted at the sound of her phone ringing again, the sleek black device buzzing in her hands as her eyes flicked to the number. _The same number she'd just been called by._

Why was he calling her again, exactly? _What do I do? Answer it? Of course not, that's begging for heartbreak. End the call? That's just plain rude._

Her mind warring with herself, eyes looking on at the phone as it kept ringing on in her hands, she tensed, feeling her nerves tie themselves into knots as she contemplated what to do. _Panicking, why am I panicking it's just a phone call, answer it for god's sake._ No, she wasn't answering it, what could he possibly have to say to her worth listening to now. _For goodness's sake. It's just a call, get it over with already_. She didn't want to talk to him, no. What was she supposed to say if she did? _Admit it, you want to hear what he has to say. You're excited_. Unlikely. She'd given up on him, afterall. _You still love him_. It didn't mean anything. _Then what's the harm in picking up._ She wasn't going to give him that satisfaction.

Her internal argument petered out as the phone stopped ringing, no doubt he'd given up on getting a hold of her. _What could he even be thinking, she'd picked up then ran the moment she recognised his voice._ What an embarrassment.

One glass of water had done nothing for the dryness in her throat; but now? It was coupled with a bitter taste to it. _Why was she disappointed?_ Truthfully, part of her had even been treacherously excited at the sound of his voice again. _But she shouldn't have been. It_ _wasn't as though she_ wanted _to talk to him_. But a part of her _did_. A part of her missed him- every time she heard snippets of a song his poems had helped her make, every time she woke up with one less mug of coffee to make, every time she used tomatoes in the kitchen even, _how pathetic of her_. She even missed him, every time she looked at Ino and Shikamaru together, and how well they were with each other despite being so wildly different.

The feeling of her phone buzzing again, being called for the third time, with the same number appearing for the third time on her phone screen, set her off again, the phone slipping for her fingers as she jumped in surprise.

"A-a-a-urghhh" she groaned in frustration as she reached to catch the phone with not so nimble fingers (they were so quick and graceful on a guitar, or a piano, but catching a phone? Nooo, not a chance), her frustration audible as she watched the phone land right in the middle of the sink, water gurgling down the drain around it.

Under the running water that poured out of her tap, water seeping into the electronic device, the ringing sound quickly petering out.

 _Great. Just great. Now the phone's drowned too._

"Sakura? What are you _doing_?" The sight of a platinum blonde head of hair poked around the kitchen doorframe, followed by the rest of Ino Nara, brought Sakura's attention away from the sink- which now housed her phone.

Groaning at the unfairness of it, she turned around, "I just dropped my phone in the sink!"

"You what? Geez, what a clutz" Ino's laughter filled the room like bells chiming.

* * *

The flight from Geneva to New York had been a long and arduous one. _But it would be worth it_ , it _had to be._

He'd even made sure, when he was booking flights, to get the soonest possible overnight flight so he could show up in the morning, with little more than a few days' clothes and the address Shikamaru had given him. Which brought him to where he was now, in front of the seemingly unsuspecting building (which could have been an office block) which he knew would no doubt be highly fitted on the inside to be the NEw York studio of the record label _she_ had become a part of.

To say he was excited at the thought of seeing her again would be an understatement.

He'd almost forgotten- but not forgotten, he could never forget- the soft, lilting voice which sounded like some special sort of music in itself when he heard it again- one which had him feeling like a hormonal teenage boy all over again (but he'd never quite fit the stereotype of a typical teenager before, so it was almost a first time for him).

it had left him breathless just to know, _know_ he'd found her again, that as long as he knew where she was and how to contact her, he could get her back. And when he'd finally found his voice, she'd hung up- it stung, but what stung more was the way her phone seemed to disappear off the face of the planet there after.

She'd made it very clear she didn't want to hear from him- she'd much rather ignore him.

But given the way he'd treated her, it'd inevitably take more than a phone call to convince her he was serious about her.

Sending a quick message out to Shikamaru, he waited outside the building; knowing the quickest way to find her would be through the Nara who, from the sounds of it, had been working with her (particularly given the way he'd been so quick to defend her).

 _What if she's gotten herself another guy?_ His insecurities mused. Afterall, the first time a guy broke her heart that's what she did with _him_ , wasn't it? His heart lurched with unwarranted jealousy at the unlikely, yet unpleasant thought.

Surely Shikamaru would have said something about it if she was involved with someone new.

The Nara in question broke his trail of thought as he spotted a head of spiky black hair walking through the revolving doors to the building- though not alone. Two blondes (one arguably older than the other, who he could recognise as the woman Shikamaru was planning on marrying last he checked) followed him outside, their expressions almost hostile as they found Sasuke leaning against a lamppost on the pavement.

But there was no Sakura. Was she inside? Had she found out about him wanting to come see her and decided against it? He looked up, almost instinctively, a part of him childishly hoping to catch a flash of pink hair in one of the windows above.

 _Where was she?_

Walking to meet Shikamaru and his entourage in front of the building, his question directed at the other man, "Where is she?"

The Nara's lazy stance did nothing to detract from the defensive way the two women held themselves, making the meeting seem to him increasingly like a standoff of some sort. Although, the subconscious discomfort he was beginning to feel under their scrutinizing gazes didn't deter him from what he deemed to be his sole goal for coming there; to find Sakura.

When the older blonde answered before the words could finish forming on Shikamaru's lips, Sasuke belatedly recognised her as Tsunade Senju; the one Shikamaru said would get Sakura's music demos back when he was trying to surprise her with more headway on the kickstarting a music career front.

"Sasuke Uchiha." she said, the hostility not quite seeping into her voice, but a hard edge there as she acknowledged him and diverted his attention.

"In the flesh." he quipped, dryly, wondering just who this woman was to Sakura, beyond whatever professional relation they'd formed in the short four months he assumed they'd been together for.

"And you're here to see Haruno?" She asked, the fierce intensity in her eyes making it seem almost as though she were testing him in some way.

"Sakura. I want to see Sakura." because much as Haruno was her family name, she was always _Sakura_ to him.

"Well considering how far she's come from when you dumped her in a park in Geneva, I don't want you anywhere near her." Her mouth contorted into a displeased snarl, and he absent mindedly wondered how Sakura could ever get along with a woman so ... _volatile_.

"I'd rather she decide what I have to say in person." He retorted, almost but not quite letting the _need_ he felt to see her slip into his voice, as he confronted the woman who seemed to appointed herself unofficial guardian to the woman he was trying to chase.

"Well that's not for you to decide. Go home, boy- in fact, I'll give you two minutes to get out of here before I call goddamn security to escort you out." she narrowed her eyes imperceptibly, her voice steely.

She was quite serious, he knew. And though he knew nothing about this woman that would provoke such a violent reaction towards him, he could only presume Sakura might have said something against him prompting this reaction. But he couldn't give up. Rather, he wasn't even close.

Maybe some kind words and an apology might be in order? The impatient look in her eyes, as she looked expectantly at him, as though waiting for him to turn tail and leave, made him panic slightly. _He couldn't leave yet. He wouldn't. She couldn't make him_.

"You're time's running out." She called, almost mocking him in her words.

"Look. I'm sorry about whatever you've heard about me- believe me when I say I don't mean any harm, just, _please,_ " he felt his voice catch as he pleaded, " _please,_ let me see her. Talk to her. I'll leave after she's heard what I have to say."

From the way her eyes narrowed further, an almost visible tick in her forehead as she stared him down with an increasing anger, he winced at the consequent call for security he knew would be coming, bracing himself for some way to enter the building and evade them.

Tsunade's expression, however, was jolted by the other woman (was her name Ino? It sounded somewhat like the name he recalled from the wedding invite), who placed a tentative arm on the elder woman's stiff iron frame. "It's okay, Tsunade. Let me talk to him."

He could just about barely make out the hushed words she whispered to the other woman, watching, his heart almost clenching at the hope that she was for some unforeseeable reason defending him, that it wouldn't be as much of a struggle as _running away from security guards_ to get a chance to come face to face with _her_.

He watched Shikamaru, who had till then been watching their exchange with a frown, almost apologetically resigned to the exchange, turn to the duo, eyes widening incredulously as he listened to his wife speak. Tsunade's entire frame- tight wrought and coiled like a spring, ready to pounce, seemed to relax then shaking her head with a sigh as she turned away. He could just about make out the words, "Do what you want," before she walked away, back into the building.

Icy blue eyes turned to face him, along with their husband's dark brown pair, and though neither looked nearly as foreboding as the Senju woman, he found his stomach lurch at the prospect that they could still turn him away and refuse him the right to see Sakura. The sight of her pink hair, creamy skin, brilliant emerald eyes still burned into the back of his eyelids, he felt the urgency, the desperation almost clawing at his insides now that he was _so close_.

"You hurt her alot." the younger blonde spoke, looking at him far less hostile, though still as though she were searching for some sort of reaction from him- as though he was being unconsciously tested.

"- I know." he admitted, resignedly.

"She's good at not showing it." this woman added, her voice fond and forlorn almost as though she was talking from the vantage point of someone who'd known Sakura for _years_. He didn't even recall Naruto talking about her with such familiarity.

" _Please_ , if nothing else, I have to apologise. To at least _try_ to set things right- I won't hurt her, I never want to hurt her again." He felt the words tumble out of him, not quite begging, but the closest he'd come to it no doubt. They felt crude, barely strung together as complete sentences, more like half formed thoughts. But for someone credited with his words in most aspects of his professional life, he couldn't find any words to explain himself then.

"Stop grovelling, Uchiha. It's beneath you." the lazy drawl came from Shikamaru, though when Sasuke turned to look at him, the glint in his eyes showed he was more amused, making light hearted fun of him than anything else.

Turning back to look at Ino, he met an almost approving, but somewhat consoling warmth to her eyes. "I believe you. Tsunade will come round too, don't mind her; she's just far too overprotective of her flock. I'm Ino, by the way; I remember you from the wedding. I'm Shikamaru's wife and Sakura's self proclaimed best friend, now."

"So...I can see her?" he asked, trying to keep the childlike hopefulness out of his voice as he looked between the couple.

He watched them share a glance- almost as though deciding internally on what to say. Ino was the first to talk, turning back to Sasuke almost tentatively, as she said, "Erm, well, it's not that simple...you see..."

"She's not here." Shikamaru cut in, a wince audible in his voice as he cut to the chase.

"What? I thought you said-" He found his protests cut off by a sympathetic look from Ino, who looked as though she was about to elaborate.

"Apparently there was an emergency. Someone close to her from her past is badly ill, Tsunade gave her an indefinite leave of absence without question. We know she'll be back- but she seemed adamant on going." Sasuke felt his heart jump to his throat as he heard the word 'emergency'; his mind assuming the worse, soon to be replaced with worry for her at the thought she'd be visiting someone- who obviously matters alot to her- alone and in pain and with nobody to support her.

But he knew her well enough, who could it be? And where was she, even?

"Where is she now? Did she say who it is? Do you have any way of contacting her- the phone number you gave me stopped working." He directed the last part to Shikamaru specifically, the questions tumbling out once he'd started.

"The hospital is in Tokyo- I don't have the hotel she's staying at but I do have a working contact number. And, get this, she managed to drown her phone in a sink, I gave her my spare for now but, that's why her line's dead." Ino answered for him, rolling her eyes with fond exasperation as she finished.

Shikamaru added in, muttering something about troublesome women leaving out details all the time, "And I'm not quite sure of the name, but it's an old friend apparently. Some Uzumaki. We can get you the hospital name, too."

 _Naruto._ So after all this time, she's still chasing after _him_ while he's chasing her. He felt the smile on his face tighten somewhat, before his thoughts took hold of him, almost internally slapping himself. _Of course she'll be worried if someone who used to be her best friend is- wait what, badly ill? He dying or something?_ Sasuke thought back to the bright and boisterous blonde haired man, with his quiet but well natured wife, and the dinner they'd shared back in his apartment so many nights ago. He'd felt bitter towards the man who, in some ways, stood between Sakura returning his own affections towards her; but Naruto seemed like a good man. He was nothing but friendly, a little rough around the edges, but very likeable. He wouldn't wish an illness like that on anyone, let alone the Uzumaki who'd only just started to find his own form of happiness with his wife.

And it's not like he was competing with Naruto, at all. He was only competing with the consequences of his own, stupid, actions.

 _Cowardice,_ he reminded himself, _he was afraid of too many things to even think things through with a clear head back then._

And he was still paying the price.

Taking down names and numbers from the two Naras, whose concerned looks and constant reassurances seemed to hint at them being far more sympathetic than their earlier defensive stance, he wrapped up the conversation, ready to part ways.

Ino called to him and he looked back over his shoulder as he left, his smirk as close as it could be to a smile as she spoke, "Good luck!"

What next? He had a flight to Japan to book.


End file.
